Signatures to protest journalist's slaying submitted to Myanmar Embassy

TOKYO, Sept. 25 Kyodo - The family of slain Japanese video journalist Kenji Nagai and their supporters
renewed their protest Thursday against Myanmar's military government ahead of
the first anniversary Saturday of Nagai's death.
Nagai's younger sister Noriko Ogawa, 48, and representatives of a support group
visited the Myanmar Embassy in Tokyo to submit petition books containing around
10,000 signatures.
The books were shoved under the embassy's gate after officials refused to
accept them.
Nagai, who was on contract with Tokyo-based news agency APF News Inc., was shot
dead while videotaping antigovernment demonstrations in Myanmar on Sept. 27,
2007. He was 50 at the time.
Nagai's relatives and the support group also demanded that Myanmar return the
journalist's video camera and tapes.
The group said it collected the signatures mainly in Tokyo, where Nagai
resided, and in his hometown of Imabari, Ehime Prefecture.
Ogawa told reporters that she wants to continue protests against Myanmar.
A memorial event in honor of Nagai is scheduled to be held in Tokyo on the
first anniversary of his death on Saturday.
Nagai's parents, Hideo, 83, and Michiko, 76, issued a statement the same day
urging the Japanese government to press Myanmar to return the video camera and
tapes.
==Kyodo