Japanese hostages freed in Iraq have been billed for plane tickets home ($21,000.00)

AP ^ | 4.26.04

[ambrose]

Japanese hostages freed in Iraq have been billed for plane tickets home

Tokyo-AP -- It's been anything but a heroes' welcome for two Japanese aid workers and a photojournalist who were held hostage for a week in Iraq. Not only did they receive a chilly welcome home, a Japanese official says the three have been billed 21-thousand-dollars for their plane tickets home and other expenses.They were accused of behaving recklessly for going to a country that Japan has repeatedly warned residents to avoid.A government official says the three are being treated the same as other Japanese civilians who get in trouble overseas.Iraqi militants captured the three Japanese and threatened to burn them alive if Japan didn't withdraw its troops from Iraq. Japan refused.Still, the Iraqi captors freed the Japanese hostages after a request from Islamic clerics.

[flashbunny]

Sounds sensible to me.

IIRC one of the guys was a japanese 'peace' activist - meaning his impression was that we were just being bullies to the nice old iraqi 'resistance' fighters.

[Joe Hadenuf]

I'm surprised they didn't bill us, since we are paying for just about everything anyway.

[socal_parrot]

They obviously didn't book more than seven days in advance and plan a Saturday stay over.

[cookcounty]

Yes the Japanese press was full of how this was all a set-up by left-wingnuts, The shallow and stoopid US press tiptoes around it and breathes not a word of it

[ApesForEvolution]

Weren't these Japanese nationals peace activists? Angry at America and working for the poor, occupied people of Iraq?

[GovernmentShrinker]

The Japanese have little patience with self-absorbed troublemakers. I recall reading an article a few years ago about how the Japanese press reacted when somebody committed suicide by jumping in front of a rush hour train. Seems the newspapers ran editorials about how selfish the suicider was to cause all those thousands of people to be late for work.

[Feiny]

I wish we had that kind of media here in the US!

[MizSterious]

I believe American In Tokyo might have more on this, but it was my understanding that at least one of them might have even planned the whole thing as a "peace" protest. It might explain the Japanese reaction somewhat, if that turns out to be true.

[river rat]

In all the years I spent in the far east -- at war and peace -- for business or pleasure....there is no nation or people in that part of the world I respect more than the Japanese...

They are unique....and their word is their bond..

If a Japanese friend tells you it's Easter --- dye your eggs, without checking the calendar...


Semper Fi

[Igraine]

If I were held hostage in Iraq, and the condition of my being returned home was that I had to pay for my own plane tickets, I would do it.

[AmericanInTokyo]

The Japanese activist/anti-US "hostages" have faced a FIRESTORM of criticism upon returning to Japan, rather than welcoming crowds and happy fellow citizens. They have avoided press conferences. They have avoided the police for debriefing. But the cat is out of the bag and the Government of Japan has smoked them out. That is why they are being billed for their "trouble" they created for the Japanese people and the Japanese self defense forces.

Nearly 70% of the Japanese now support continued Japanese SDF forces in Iraq. The whole thing backfired in the leftists' faces.

[Mears]

Good for the Japanese. Their taxpayers won't have to pick up the bill for these adventure seekers.

[Shooter 2.5]

The closest thing we have to this is when some nitwit is stuck on a mountaintop.

The search and rescue teams are starting to bill the expenses to the fools.

[jonsie]

They should be made to what that video of that brave Italian who lost his life to these barbarians.

[Texas Eagle]

They were accused of behaving recklessly for going to a country that Japan has repeatedly warned residents to avoid.

Hooray for Japan!

We should do the same thing every time a group of moron mountain climbers have to be rescued.

[aquila48]

I like their attitude!!!

[Revolting cat!]

Last minute airline tickets!

[GEC]

The nail which sticks up highest is the first and hardest to be hit down.

[skinkinthegrass]

The Japanese activist...The whole thing backfired in the leftists' faces.

...Thanks for the info. :)