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Japan said connected Friday (March 6, 2026) that a 2nd Japanese nationalist was being held successful Iran, calling for their contiguous release.
Japan had antecedently said that 1 Japanese national was arrested connected January 20, 2026, with reports saying helium was the Tehran bureau main of nationalist broadcaster NHK.
The individuality of the 2nd Japanese idiosyncratic held and the day arsenic good arsenic different details of the apprehension are unclear.
News of the further detention comes aft the United States and Israel began a sweeping subject run against Iran that has resulted successful Tehran firing retaliatory strikes astir the region.
"The authorities volition proceed to powerfully property for an aboriginal merchandise and, portion staying successful interaction with the individuals, their families and each parties concerned, volition supply each imaginable signifier of support," Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said, Kyodo News reported.
A spokeswoman for the Japanese Foreign Ministry told AFP — without naming either idiosyncratic — that embassy unit person been successful interaction with the 2 radical and to "confirm their safety".
According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Radio Farda and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 1 of those arrested is the Tehran bureau main of Japanese nationalist broadcaster NHK, Shinnosuke Kawashima.
Kawashima was arrested connected January 20 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the CPJ said connected February 26, citing a root who spoke connected information of anonymity for fearfulness of retaliation.
The CPJ and Radio Free Europe some reported that Kawashima was transferred connected February 23 to Evin Prison, wherever governmental prisoners are usually incarcerated.
The CPJ's root besides said that NHK's longtime videographer Mehdi Mohammedi's passport was confiscated, on with his idiosyncratic devices, including his phone, laptop, and camera.
“Another NHK unit subordinate — whose individuality CPJ said it was withholding for information reasons —fled Iran successful aboriginal February aft being summoned respective times,” CPJ said successful a statement.
"The apprehension of Shinnosuke Kawashima and the intimidation of his colleagues reflects a deliberate effort by Iranian authorities to soundlessness autarkic reporting," said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah.
The reported apprehension followed a question of large protests successful Iran successful December and January met by a convulsive authorities crackdown that rights groups said near thousands of radical dead.
This was earlier the United States and Israeli militaries began "Operation Epic Fury" connected February 28 and killed ultimate person Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Risk level
Japan connected Thursday (March 5, 2026) raised its hazard level to the second-highest level — "Avoid each travel" — for Kuwait, Saudi Arabia (Eastern Province), Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
It said it would transport Japanese nationals successful Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE who privation to bash truthful by onshore to Riyadh and Muscat to instrumentality commercialized flights.
But with tickets from Riyadh and Oman hard to get, Japan's authorities volition besides put charter flights to Tokyo from there.
Tokyo and Tehran person historically had comparatively affable relations, with erstwhile premier Shinzo Abe visiting Iran successful 2019 and then-President Hassan Rouhani coming to Japan the aforesaid year.
“As a adjacent U.S. ally, but besides a beardown protagonist of the rules-based planetary order, the warfare has enactment Japan successful a hard position,” analysts say.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said connected Tuesday that she would clasp "candid" discussions connected the warfare with U.S. President Donald Trump astatine their talks successful Washington connected March 19.
The world's fourth-largest system is the 5th biggest importer of oil, with astir 70% coming done the Strait of Hormuz which Iran has efficaciously closed.
