TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese journalist held hostage by Islamist militants after being captured in Syria three years ago has been released and would be brought home as soon as possible, Japan’s foreign minister said on Wednesday.
Japanese diplomats in Turkey confirmed the released man was Jumpei Yasuda, a 44-year-old freelancer who was reported to have been captured by an al Qaeda affiliate after entering Syria from Turkey in 2015. Yasuda subsequently appeared in videos released online by his captors.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had earlier voiced relief, while still waiting for confirmation of the identity of the freed man.
Both Abe and Kono thanked Qatar and Turkey for their cooperation in freeing the man. The government’s top spokesman said earlier that no ransom was paid for his release.
The Committee on High Posts has approved the nomination of Former Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal (Retd.)
Former Chairman of SriLankan Airlines, Nishantha Wickramasinghe, arrested on allegation of corruption by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has been remanded until July 1 by the Colombo Magistrate court.
A Sri Lankan man was apprehended at Suvarnabhumi airport for attempting to smuggle wildlife out of the country after three ball pythons were found hidden in his underwear, the Bangkok post reported.
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