Japanese FM thanks Interior Minister to release hostage

SANA'A, Nov. 25 (Saba) -
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada thanked on Wednesday Interior Minister
Mutahar al-Masri
for the efforts exerted to free the Japanese engineer Takyu Nashimo, who was
abducted early last week by outlaw elements in the district of Arhab, Sana'a
province.
The Japanese official's thanks were in letter handed over to the Interior Minister
by the Japanese ambassador to Sana'a Masakazu Toshikage.
Okada accentuated in the letter that such accident would not influence the
Japanese-Yemeni distinctive relations, which would witness more progress and
enhancement.
Japan will move forward in its efforts to support Yemen's social and economic
development, the letter read.
The Interior Minister appreciated the positive attitude of the Japanese government
and embassy that assist the security authorities to play their roles perfectly
ended up
with releasing the Japanese hostage without making any concessions to the kidnappers.
He valued the efforts and assistance the Japanese government provides to prop up
the development process in Yemen.
The foreigner engineer Takyu Nashimo, 63, works for a Japanese cooperative mission
overseeing the implementation of a Japanese aid program.
He was kidnapped on Sunday while on his way to the worksite, a school project
funded by the JICA.
The release of the engineer came after major efforts by the concerned authorities
and tribal elders and people.
The kidnappers' main demand was to release a detainee held by the Yemeni
authorities four years ago on links to al-Qaeda.
AF/AF