Update:Negotiator Tells Japan Hostages Safe in Iraq - Kyodo

[cal04]

An unidentified negotiator told Japan on Monday that three Japanese civilians kidnapped in Iraq were safe, Kyodo news agency said.

Quoting an unnamed Japanese government official, Kyodo said a negotiator whose identity was not disclosed told the Japanese government that the three captives were safe

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-iraq-japan-hostages.html

[wryter2000]

1. Thank heaven

I'm so relieved for their families. It would have been so terrible for everyone if they'd been killed.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Good news, isn't it?

You'd really hate to see those people harmed because of _{George Bush's} bogus war.

Hope Koizumi will think it over and withdraw his pawns. It WOULD be the right thing to do.

Here's a Reuters article which was released a couple of hours ago:

No Word on Japan's Iraq Hostages, Families Worry
Sun Apr 11, 2004 11:56 AM ET


By Masayuki Kitano and Midoriko Morita
TOKYO (Reuters) - The fate of three Japanese civilians kidnapped in Iraq remained unclear on Sunday, extending the agony of their families and a crisis for the Tokyo government after earlier reports the hostages would be freed.

A Japanese official said he could not confirm a new report by Arabic TV station Al Jazeera that the militants holding the three would begin killing them unless their demands -- including that Japan's troops quit Iraq -- were met within 24 hours.

"We are looking into the report," he told Reuters.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, facing his toughest political test, has vowed not to withdraw the nearly 550 ground troops from southern Iraq, despite the threats. Relatives of the hostages and demonstrators, however, urged him to do so.
(snip)

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4798341

[alarcojon]

3. Very good news!

I hope there aren't more of these kidnappings in the future, but I fear that is too much to ask.