We won't give in to terror - Japan PM

Japan’s prime minister Junichiro Koizumi today denounced terrorist threats to burn alive three hostages as ”cowardly”, vowing troops would stay in Iraq despite tearful pleas from the captives’ families to bow to the gunmen’s demands.

“We want to do everything we can to see that he comes home,” said Naoko Imai, whose 18-year-old son, Noriaki, was among the captives. “I want the government to pull the troops out.”