Japan paid 200 million yen for release of national kidnapped in Iran+

TOKYO, Dec. 29 Kyodo -
Japan paid money equivalent to about 200 million yen to resolve the kidnapping
of a Japanese national in Iran, a government source said Monday.
The money is believed to have been a de fact ransom payment for university
student Satoshi Nakamura, who was kidnapped by an armed group in October last
year and released after eight months in June this year.
The Foreign Ministry denied making the payment, with an official saying it is
''groundless.''
Both the Japanese and Iranian governments have said there was no ransom payment.
The source said it is not known if the money, which was allegedly disbursed
from the Foreign Ministry's discretionary fund, was delivered to the armed
group.
There also is a plan under consideration to provide money to local tribal
officials who contributed to negotiations for release under such forms as
poverty support, according to the source.
Nakamura, a 24-year-old student at Yokohama National University, was kidnapped
while traveling near the southeastern Iranian city of Bam on Oct. 7 after
entering Iran by way of Pakistan.
He was freed after negotiation efforts by the Iranian authorities and others.
Another Japanese government official has said Japan paid $3 million for the
release of four Japanese in 1999 in Kyrgyzstan under the name of economic
assistance. Japan has also denied making the payment.
==Kyodo
2008-12-29 21:49:00