A Japanese national detained in Iran since January has been released, Tokyo confirmed on Tuesday with multiple Japanese media outlets reporting the individual is believed to be the Tehran bureau chief of NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster.
The release marks the second such case in recent weeks, after Japan announced in March that another citizen had also been freed by Iranian authorities. Government spokesperson Minoru Kihara said the Japanese embassy in Tehran verified the individual’s release on April 6, and the ambassador met them in person to confirm they were in good health.
NHK has not yet commented publicly, and earlier reports noted that the bureau chief detained on January 20 had been sent to a prison known for holding political detainees. At the time of the arrest, Japanese officials acknowledged a citizen had been detained but declined to provide details, while NHK also refrained from comment.
Press‑freedom groups had previously raised concerns. In February, the Committee to Protect Journalists urged Iran to release Shinnosuke Kawashima, NHK’s Tehran bureau chief, saying he had been arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and later transferred to Evin Prison.
The latest release comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Iran facing international scrutiny following the outbreak of hostilities involving the U.S. and Israel in late February.
+ There are no comments
Add yours