Japan inquiry into reporter death

[eppur_se_muova]

Source: BBC

Japan is sending its deputy foreign minister to Burma to investigate the death of a Japanese journalist, who was covering the anti-government protests.

Japan said it would review its aid programmes to Burma over the fatal shooting of Kenji Nagai on Thursday.

TV footage has emerged which raises the possibility that the 50-year-old may have been deliberately targeted rather than caught in police cross-fire.

Japan's PM, Yasuo Fukuda, said he would decide how to proceed after the visit.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7017636.stm

[LakeSamish706]

1. I sure hope that Japan gets real tough with these A**holes! n/t

[Kagemusha]

2. As much as I care for Japan in general..

I imagine that Japan getting real tough with Burma is about the absolute last thing any Pacific Rim country wants to see.

[superconnected]

3. Good. That photographers death is NOT being ignored.

Thank goodness.

I hope the whole world takes notice.

[seafan]

4. Eyewitnesses say journalist killed as he filmed a riot police baton charge on a group of women.

Japan inquiry into reporter death

28 September 2007



More info from another UK source

September 28, 2007

Bloody clashes between thousands of demonstrators and Burmese troops and riot police continued for a second straight day today on the streets of Rangoon, where at least 10 people - including a Japanese photojournalist - were gunned down in cold blood, writes Edward Loxton.

Today’s deaths brought the toll in two days of street violence to at least 16, but bodies are reportedly still being found in side streets of Rangoon. Eyewitnesses said the Japanese journalist was shot at point-blank range as he photographed a riot police baton charge on a group of mostly women. Pictures of his lifeless body were shown in international TV broadcasts.

In their bid to close off Rangoon to the outside world, the authorities raided Rangoon’s top downtown business hotel, Traders, searching for foreign journalists after film footage apparently taken from one of the hotel windows was broadcast on international TV stations.

As night fell in Rangoon, large crowds of protesters defied the dusk-to-dawn curfew and roamed the streets, shouting anti-government slogans. In the university area, troops opened fire after warning the crowds in vain to disperse and return home. Several demonstrators, including students, were reportedly hit.

God, this is so horribly sad for humanity.