Japanese taken hostage in Iraq: Report

Three Japanese have been taken hostage by insurgents in Iraq who have threatened to kill them if Japan does not withdraw its troops from Iraq, reports said today.

The reports cited the Arab satellite television station Al-Jazeera which planned to broadcast video footage of the the captives today.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry has set up an emergency operations room and is trying to confirm the report from local sources, NHK TV reported in Tokyo.

Japan has sent several hundred ground troops to Iraq on a non-combat mission to help rebuild the country.