national

Japan confirms ID of journalist freed from Syria

44 Comments
By Mari Yamaguchi

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

44 Comments
Login to comment

Myu, sing a song of joy. Your husband is coming home now, safe.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

commanteerOct. 25 08:19 am JSTJapanese mentality we say is if one knows the risk, do not ask for help, its a lost sense of pride.

You have to understand, they probably told him what to say on the video, so begging for help was probably part of the script. He could have refused, of course, but they would respond by torturing or killing him. That's why we shouldn't read too much into the words of someone who is making a video while a gun is pointed at his head.

Now that he is free and alive, he can relate his stories to some people who can find them useful. His experiences can help save foreign soldiers in the Middle Eastern wars, who knows - it could even be valuable enough to destroy ISIL for good. He certainly needs help for PTSD and I hope he gets it, and what he's seen, witnessed and learned can be very valuable to the effort to stop these wars and terrorism crap by these fanatical lunatics. This man is a survivor. Thank God he is free and alive. I hope the other captives will be too, soon.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Japanese mentality we say is if one knows the risk, do not ask for help, its a lost sense of pride.

You have to understand, they probably told him what to say on the video, so begging for help was probably part of the script. He could have refused, of course, but they would respond by torturing or killing him. That's why we shouldn't read too much into the words of someone who is making a video while a gun is pointed at his head.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

why not provide info of handover?

So as not to educate other potential hostage takers on what they might be able to get in return for future hostages. If they don't know what was exchanged then they won't know for sure if it is worth the effort.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Glad the guy is safe but Japan paid the ransom, to be released so suddenly.... Japan was caught in the first gulf war paying randoms against the wishes of other nations.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said "Every effort is being made to ensure that the journalist is returned to his country," but would not provide information on the handover.

why not provide info of handover?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I do, as stated if they have some form of safety. What do you expect from war torn countries or North Korea.. Look what happened to Otto in North Korea and he wasn't a journalist..

So safety is a concern regardless of what a person does there.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Japanese mentality we say is if one knows the risk, do not ask for help, its a lost sense of pride.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

I highly respect the bravery of freelance journalists, but so many times, our journalists were captured and crying like a kid and we have to fork out millions to the captors

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

You don't really understand how journalism works.

Where do you think the big networks get their stories from? They send their big name correspondents over for a few high profile pieces and bring them back. They don't send them into harms way.

Then they buy photos and stories from freelance journalists like Yasuda. How do you think freelancers make money? Where do you think they get the money to pay their way to these places? Who do you think pays them? The networks that buy their stuff. It's not hard to understand.

Like I said before, if you'd prefer to get all your news from the government, we'd be in big trouble.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

CNN, ABC etc would also pay heavily armoured security for their workers, it is the freelance journalists from any country at high risks.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

We are tired of bailing out these 'freelance journalists' any Japanese journalist from fujitv, nhk etc would be overpaid with security personnel, Freelance journalists take their life in their own hands, brave yes, but where does the money come from to bail these brave people? our tax..

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Ok then go to North Korea and do a youtube vlog via vpn and let us know how it goes

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Who will pay for their heavily armored security? It doesn't work that way.

Journalists have to be free to go wherever they need to in order to report the truth. They put themselves in harms way to make sure the public is aware of what is happening and you think it is just to advance their career and egos. You couldn't be more wrong.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

No, but common sense would think, journalists walk with security heavily armoured, not wondering around like a ronin samurai.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Hey journalists, people here think you are idiots for reporting in warzones. We should just leave it to our governments to report what is happening. I'm sure they will be 100% truthful, right? Right...?

I'm glad he made it back safely. There is nothing idiotic about what he and other freelance journalists do. They are incredibly brave.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

It could also be a scam to share the cash with his captors

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Go to a war zone country just for your career and ego in reporting, only to magically ask for help when you get caught..

In Japan we are tired of bailing these people out.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

I saw a video in which he was begging his life. He went there by his will knowing it was a dangerous place. It was very much un-samurai like attitude he was begging his life.

Um, I think I would also beg for my life if I'd been captured by psychos with a penchant for lopping off heads!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

‘ It was very much un-samurai like attitude he was begging his life’

Seriously!?

’So he was captured (at least) twice now but not killed? I actually think he is in with the terrorists, helping them get ransom money. ‘

Seriously!?

5 ( +6 / -1 )

A wee bit of good news. I have no doubt there was some backroom dealing in all this.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Yasuda started reporting on the Middle East in the early 2000s. He was taken hostage in Iraq in 2004 with three other Japanese, but was freed after Islamic clerics negotiated his release.

I really think that journos covering the ME genuinely love the region/culture(s) and its ppl. They truly are a special breed. Glad he's free (bloke must have nine lives!)

2 ( +3 / -1 )

if you didn't poke your camera around in a war zone you could have saved people a lot of time and money saving you

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

This is what happens when Japanese news outlets refuse to send their own employees to areas of conflict due to the dangerous conditions, but encourage freelance journalists to go to these places to do the dirty/dangerous work for them...

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@wtfjapan

so since he got captured then it should be him and or his company that paid the ransom, why should the J taxpayer have to pay for people that intentionally put themselves in danger then cry for help when they can foot the bill.

Do you intentionally just not read the actual article, or perhaps your English isn't that great...

Suga said Japanese diplomats will confirm his identity and check his health at a facility near Turkey's border with Syria. Suga said no ransom was paid.

There was no ransom money paid. Japanese tax payers aren't paying jack.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

I saw a video in which he was begging his life. He went there by his will knowing it was a dangerous place. It was very much un-samurai like attitude he was begging his life.

So he was captured (at least) twice now but not killed? I actually think he is in with the terrorists, helping them get ransom money. I think if the J-Government wanted to help him they would have done so a long time ago.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

His mother spent the last three years praying for him and making over 10,000 paper cranes.

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20181024-00050056-yom-soci.view-000

3 ( +3 / -0 )

HE IS NOT AN IDIOT! He is a brave journalist out to report and give the** truth about a very ugly and dangerous situation.  ** so since he got captured then it should be him and or his company that paid the ransom, why should the J taxpayer have to pay for people that intentionally put themselves in danger then cry for help when they can foot the bill.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

maybeperhapsyesToday 08:19 am JSTGlad he is well and safe. He should come home and write about his experiences. I think he needs professional help to get over the trauma he no doubt suffered.

I think so too. I'm glad he's alive and free now. He probably wouldn't want to go back to Syria anyway, and after all this trauma he needs help and rest.

How in the world is he a hero? Idiot is more like it. A hero is someone who saves people out of his/her will. As far as Hollywood goes, this is a stupid idea to make a movie over this idiot.

HE IS NOT AN IDIOT! He is a brave journalist out to report and give the truth about a very ugly and dangerous situation.  That's what news reporters do. It takes guts to do what he did, it's a risky career he has. Just military, police, firefighters - are you saying that people in those professions are idiots too? It's a crap shoot, sometimes you get 7 or 11, sometimes boxcars or snake eyes. He had an unlucky day but he is a survivor and he's got some stories to tell which could be very valuable. That is what makes a hero a hero.

He probably will have PTSD issues from this and I pray he'll be able to cope with them. I hope his wife will be able to comfort him through this.  I also pray for the release of the other missing journalists, and soon! Thank God that Jumpei Yasuda is free.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Great news! Relief for his family. Welcome home soon Yasuda san. He is a hero for surviving 2 kidnappings by terrorists. I hope Hollywood will make his story into an action movie!

How in the world is he a hero? Idiot is more like it. A hero is someone who saves people out of his/her will. As far as Hollywood goes, this is a stupid idea to make a movie over this idiot.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

I'm glad he's freed. However, I hope his or his company's idiotic move (to send him to Syria) didn't cost our tax yen. I'm sure he's going to really hear it when he gets back.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

So who paid the ransom for his release? Whoever it was should be arrested for supporting terrorism.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Jumpei Yasuda is lucky that his life is spared by ISIS militants and he is alive. Japanese journalists should keep in mind the sacrifice made by Kenji Goto and remain away from all conflict zones in the middle east otherwise they will be taken hostage. Huge ransome will be demanded by these militant groups for their release .

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Good news. Will he disregard reasonability a third time and return to the Middle East to be kidnapped a third time?

Let me tell you if I had a newborn baby and told my wife that, by choice, I am going to the front lines of Syria's terrorist conflict, she would be long gone after I got back. Especially if I had been kidnapped in the past. He should consider himself lucky to have such a supportive wife.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It was very much un-samurai like attitude he was begging his life.

Easy to say from behind the safety of an anonymous computer connection. The fact that he's alive would suggest he did the right things.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Great news! Relief for his family. Welcome home soon Yasuda san. He is a hero for surviving 2 kidnappings by terrorists. I hope Hollywood will make his story into an action movie!

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

There are various reports in the media that a ransom was paid, apparently, from today's J Yahoo for example:

在英NGO「シリア人権監視団(Syrian Observatory for Human Rights)」によると、安田さんはトルコ・カタール間の取り決めに基づいて解放された。また、複数の情報筋が、身代金が支払われたと話している。

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20181024-00000002-jij_afp-int

Glad to see he made it out, but will he tempt fate a third time? I hope not.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

I saw a video in which he was begging his life. He went there by his will knowing it was a dangerous place. It was very much un-samurai like attitude he was begging his life.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Glad he is well and safe. He should come home and write about his experiences. I think he needs professional help to get over the trauma he no doubt suffered.

Something tells me Syria hasn't seen the last of him and he may defy orders not to travel there again.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Here’s to him being fine mentally and physically, no doubt with his new found Arabic skills and journalistic know-how he’s going to be able to write an amazing account of the hell he’s been through. Well survived Yasuda san.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Good news. Will he disregard reasonability a third time and return to the Middle East to be kidnapped a third time?

3 ( +7 / -4 )

I am glad he is alive and freed. So many questions about his capture. I am interested in what he has to say.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

I am glad to hear that he is free. I am just hopeful that the Japanese government did not pay any ransom to gain his release!

9 ( +12 / -3 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites