10 April 2004	Saturday	19 Safar 1425

TOKYO, April 9: The families of three Japanese hostages in Iraq voiced anger and despair on Friday as the government refused to pull its troops from the country as the deadline for their threatened execution drew nearer.

Seven relatives of the three hostages, whom gunmen are threatening to burn alive unless Japan pulls its troops out of Iraq within three days, flew to Tokyo to plead with government officials in vain for a military withdrawal.

Speaking to reporters for the first time since the worst crisis of his three year administration began, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi vowed Friday Japan would not withdraw troops from Iraq. "We must not yield to terrorists' foul threats," he said.

"There is no plan" to withdraw troops from Iraq, he said, adding the government would "do our utmost so that they (kidnap victims) will be released immediately." Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi met the relatives, assuring them the government would strive to free the hostages, while stopping short of responding directly to their request for a troop pull out.

The meeting followed the broadcast of harrowing television footage showing the three Japanese in captivity, surrounded by masked militants from a group calling themselves the "Mujahedeen Brigades".

"If my child was burned alive (as the kidnappers threatened) ... I would not be able to bear it," Kimiko Koriyama, mother of captive Soichiro Koriyama, a 32-year-old photojournalist, said in a trembling voice. Naoko Imai, the mother of another hostage, 18-year-old and freelance writer Noriaki Imai, said a the hostage-takers' deadline of 9:00 pm Japan time Sunday (1200 GMT) was fast approaching.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's refusal to withdraw the soldiers "leaves no hope for my son's survival," she said. Japan has deployed some 550 troops to the southern Iraqi city of Samawa for humanitarian work, despite widespread opposition on the grounds the move violated the country's post-war pacifist constitution.

In Washington Thursday, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld welcomed Japan's resolve. "Clearly, that is a good, sound decision and it's appreciated," he said. Analysts said Koizumi had no choice but to adopt a hard-line stance.

"If Japan gives into threats, both extremists and international society will think Japan is soft on terrorism," said Matake Kamiya, professor of security at the National Defence Academy. "Japan's image as a nation state is at stake."

The relatives' pleas were echoed by some 600 people who staged a demonstration in front of government and parliament buildings calling for the immediate withdrawal of troops.

The protestors carried banners reading: "Bring them home now, Koizumi. Why don't you go to Iraq instead of the three hostages?" But Japanese government officials said Japan had a little ability to help the hostages, including 34-year-old volunteer worker Nahoko Takato, who entered Iraq despite government advisories urging its nationals to leave the country.

One of the foreign ministry's most senior diplomats flew out to Jordan to handle the crisis. But with the clock ticking, the government admitted it had made little progress in trying to secure the release. - AFP

Evacuation

Japan's government has decided to organise an airlift to evacuate Japanese civilians in Iraq to neighbouring Kuwait following the kidnapping of three Japanese nationals, a newspaper said Friday.

"Excluding some 550 Self-Defence Force (military) personnel and foreign ministry officials, some 70 journalists, non-government organisation workers and other civilians are in Iraq, and they can apply to be evacuated," the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper said. -AFP