Japan confirms death of hostage in Iraq:
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[World News]: Tokyo, Oct.31 : The Japanese government on Sunday confirmed that a decapitated body found in Iraq is that of a Japanese hostage taken hostage by Islamic militants earlier this week.
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TOKYO - A Japanese civilian taken hostage in Iraq by militants has been killed, Kyodo News agency reported Saturday, citing Japanese government officials.
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A body resembling a Japanese hostage has  been found in Iraq and is being shipped to Qatar for  identification, Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hatsuhisa  Takashima told a news conference early on Saturday.
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An Islamic website posted a statement on Saturday claiming that British Kenneth Bigley held hostage in Iraq has been killed by his kidnappers.
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By Natalie Obiko Pearson, Associated Press, 10/30/2004 01:52. TOKYO  A body resembling a Japanese hostage held by Islamic militants has been found in Iraq, the government announced Saturday, and officials
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Japan sought international help on  Thursday for a Japanese man held hostage in Iraq, with less  than 24 hours to go for a deadline set by his captors to behead  him unless Tokyo withdraws its troops.
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A decapitated body found in Iraq was identified Sunday as a Japanese backpacker taken hostage by Islamic militants, but Tokyo insisted it would not cut short its dispatch of troops there and vowed to combat terrorism.
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Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who leads a militant group affiliated with the al-Qaida network, on Tuesday claimed that his group is responsible for the murder of Japanese hostage Shosei
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The Foreign Ministry on Monday confirmed the death of Russian hostages who worked at its embassy in Iraq, a day after an al-Qaida linked group said it had killed the four captives.
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Japan refused to give up hope that a  Japanese man taken hostage in Iraq was still alive on Friday  after the passing of a deadline set by his captors to behead  him unless Tokyo withdrew its troops.
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Japanese rescuers Thursday confirmed the death of a 3-year-old girl whose body is still trapped in a car under rubble from Saturday&#39;s strong earthquakes.
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The Islamic militant group of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi reportedly claims to have taken a Japanese citizen hostage in Iraq. In a video shown on the Internet, the group threatens to execute him if Tokyo does not withdraw its troops from Iraq in 48 hours.
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Japan's government said it was trying to confirm news reports that the Islamic militant group of Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi had taken a Japanese citizen hostage in Iraq and threatened to behead him.
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Japan has made last-ditch efforts to secure the release of a Japanese hostage facing execution in Iraq. A Japanese government official says efforts are still being made to free Shosei Koda, 24, but there have been no reports of any progress.
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TOKYO Japanese leaders are struggling to make contact with Islamic militants in Iraq holding a Japanese traveler hostage. The Japanese government says it has few details on the kidnapping of the 24-year-old tourist.
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Japan was checking a media report on  Friday that an Asian body had been found in Iraq after the  expiry of a deadline set for the beheading of a Japanese youth  whose captors had demanded that Tokyo withdraw its troops.
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TOKYO -- A report says the Japanese government has confirmed that a decapitated body found in Iraq is that of a Japanese man taken hostage by Islamic militants earlier this week.