Japanese races to free hostage; hopes fading
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Japan raced against the clock yesterday to free a young Japanese hostage in Iraq but had little reason for hope less than a day before the deadline set by al-Qaida-linked militants for his killing.
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The family of a Japanese man being held hostage in Iraq begged for his life on Friday after the expiry of a deadline set by his captors, who have threatened to behead him unless Japan withdrew its troops.
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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 pulled out its troops.
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TOKYO : Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has vowed not to pull out its troops in Iraq, despite reports that another of its national has been taken hostage.
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TOKYO -- A Japanese government official said a body found in Iraq resembles a Japanese civilian taken hostage by militants. But he said the man&#39;s remains haven&#39;t been positively identified yet.
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Families of eight Chinese hostages in  Iraq pleaded on Thursday for their release as a deadline set by  their captors neared, and Japan said it was checking reports  one of its citizens had been kidnapped.
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Japan's government was still in the dark  about a Japanese held hostage in Iraq on Thursday, less than 24  hours before a deadline set by his captors, who have threatened  to behead the young man unless Japan withdraws its troops.
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Japan today refused to withdraw its troops from Iraq despite demands by Iraqi militants who have taken a Japanese civilian hostage and threatened to behead him unless the soldiers left.
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Hopes For the release of a British hostage kidnapped in Baghdad were fading last night after the Iraqi Foreign Minister said his government would not bow to the kidnappers&#39; demands.
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threat by a militant group to behead a Japanese hostage within 48 hours unless Tokyo pulls its forces out. &quot;We cannot tolerate terrorism and we will not give in to terrorism,&quot; Koizumi told reporters on Wednesday.
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NOGATA, Fukuoka -- The parents of a Japanese man taken hostage in Iraq said all they wanted was for their son to return home safe.
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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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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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A Japanese minister arrived in Jordan on  Thursday to seek the release of a hostage in Iraq, less than 24  hours before a deadline set by his captors, who have threatened  to behead the youth unless Japan withdraws its troops.
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The deadline set by Islamic militants to behead a Japanese hostage in Iraq unless Tokyo pulled its army out of the country expired with no fresh news of the young man's fate.
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TOKYO - The beheading of a Japanese hostage and the closely fought US presidential election have injected new caution into Tokyoâs deliberations on whether to extend its historic troop dispatch to Iraq.
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Japan sought international and Iraqi help for a Japanese man held hostage in Iraq on Thursday, less than 24 hours before a deadline set by his captors to behead him unless Japan withdraws its troops.