3 Japanese released by China return home

TOKYO, Oct. 1 Kyodo - Three of the Japanese construction company employees detained by China last week returned to Japan on Friday, a day after being released, and admitted to entering a military zone in Hebei Province without permission.

Speaking at a press conference after their arrival at Tokyo's Haneda airport,
Yoshiro Sasaki, 45, one of the three, said they had been released by Chinese
authorities after writing statements in which they admitted to entering a
prohibited military zone without permission.
''Although we were not aware that we were in a controlled zone and entered it,
we wrote statements to the effect that it was true that we had entered,'' he
said.
''We are sorry for causing concern,'' Sasaki told the news conference.
Four employees of construction company Fujita Corp., based in Tokyo, and a
Chinese unit of the Japanese company were detained Sept. 20. Sasaki said the
Chinese authorities had explained to them that it was illegal to enter areas
controlled by the military without permission and had shown them related legal
documents.
Beijing released Sasaki, Hiroki Hashimoto, 39, and Junichi Iguchi, 59, on
Thursday but the fourth employee, Sadamu Takahashi, 57, remains in custody in
China with the Japanese government calling for his immediate release. There is
concern that the detention of Takahashi may continue beyond the end of a
weeklong holiday in China that began Friday.
The release of the three came after Tokyo freed last week a Chinese trawler
skipper who had been detained over collisions with Japan Coast Guard vessels
Sept. 7 near the disputed Senkaku Islands, which are administered by Japan but
also claimed by China.
Sasaki said the Chinese authorities did not touch on any issues related to the
disputed islands.
According to Fujita, the employees visited the area in China's northern Hebei
Province to inspect a potential construction site for a plant to process
chemical weapons abandoned in China by the Japanese military at the end of
World War II.
The employees did not notice a sign saying it was a prohibited military zone
and took a picture of the gate carelessly, Fujita said.
The company also explained that the employees had been treated well during
their detention from Sept. 20 and that they were investigated separately until
earlier this week.
At the press conference, Sasaki said they were sorry for the concern they had
caused and that they appreciated the government's efforts for their release.
==Kyodo