Since the first report on the kidnapping by an Iraqi group of three Japanese came on the evening of April 8, many people throughout the country have been demanding that the government take a life-first approach to release them and withdraw the Self-Defense Forces from Iraq.
On April 9, more than 4,000 people attended a rally at Tokyo's Hibiya Amphitheater and marched in demonstration to the prime minister's official residence and the building of the Japanese parliament.
About 150,000 signatures demanding an immediate withdrawal of the SDF from Iraq and the release of the hostages were collected in three days.
Near the prime minister's official residence, which is across from the Diet building, people in various groups and organizations called on the government to do everything possible to rescue the three Japanese and withdraw the Self-Defense Forces. As the deadline imposed by the hostage takers approached on April 11, about 2,500 people converged on the prime minister's official residence.
In Sapporo City in Hokkaido, hometown of 18-year-old hostage Imai Noriaki, his friends and classmates carried out a signature-collecting campaign. Impressed with their shouts in hoarse voices calling for the hostages' release day after day, many passers-by stopped to sign the names. The campaign has ceaselessly spread around Sapporo citizens.
The Japanese Communist Party on April 10 sent an urgent message to 120 foreign embassies or representative offices in Japan, asking them to urge the Japanese government to remove its troops from Iraq.
Families of the hostages came to Tokyo to demand that the government take a life-first approach and withdraw the SDF, but Prime Minister Koizumi refused to meet with them. (end)
