Tokyo — Japan’s top government spokesman said Tuesday that a Japanese citizen detained in Iran since January has been released on bail.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters in Tokyo that the releases were confirmed on Monday and that Japan is demanding a full release from Iranian authorities.
He said Japanese Ambassador to Iran Tamaki Tsukada met the released man and confirmed he was in good health, without giving further details.
The man is believed to be a journalist with Japan’s NHK public television. Another Japanese national who was detained in Iran last June. was released and returned to Japan in March.
Tuesday’s announcement came a day after a phone call between Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi to discuss Iran’s war with the United States and Israel.
A Japanese Foreign Ministry statement issued shortly after the talks said Motegi reiterated his demand for the release of the remaining detainees, with Araghchi saying he took the request seriously.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has named a man detained in Iran in January as a journalist for Japan’s public broadcaster NHK. CPJ said the NHK journalist was arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on January 20 and transferred on February 23. avin gelCiting unnamed sources citing fear of persecution.
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Associated Press journalist Mayuko Ono in Tokyo contributed.
