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Kidnapped Japanese nationals in Iraq --- unpleasant aftertaste of blaming victims

Although it was a disgusting case, it was pleasure that five japanese nationals, who were abducted in Iraq, came back home safely. It was an appropriate decision that Japanese government didn't accept the kidnappers' demand that Japanese Self diffence force should withdraw from Iraq. The government could fulfill its important responsibility to protect Japanese nationals.

But putting aside the feeling relieved about the release of five abductee, in fact after their being released, their family and themselves were criticized badly.

They were abducted after they went to Iraq while Japanese government issued the recommendation to leave. Japanese foreign ministry's officer expressed his uncomfortable sentiment,saying "there is a limit for protecting Japanese nationals. People have to be aware of the principle of self-responsibility".

Certainly as the officer commented,when people go to dagerous places,they need to be prepared for protecting themselves by themselves and make enough ready. It is natural that they were blamed for being optimistic for the Iraq situation.

But when they expressed their desire to continue their activities in Iraq just after they were released, the argument about the self-responsibility got much attention. In addition,while the argument about dispatching Japanese SelfDifence Force heated in Japan,the victim's familiy desired the government to withdraw the SDF from Iraq. This aroused the antipathy against them.

Some lawmakers said that the government shouldn't protect people who went to Iraq in regardless of the recommendation to leave Iraq and they had to take responsibility for that. And there were argument that they had to pay the expenses for the evacuation and that the government had to forbid to visit Iraq in law. These lead to that the people who wouldn't obey to the government or would be against the its policy shouldn't be allowed to go abroad.

The regulation on going abroad shouldn't be allowed. This is aggainst the Constitution of Japan. Such histeric argument with losing calmness increased the bad aftertaste. These arguments in the government at that time was too emotinal. The self-responsibility and protecting Japanese natinals by government are different issues.

Japanese people shouldn't forget that Japanese nationals are in the position to be used politically as hostages because Japan has dispatched SDF to Iraq. On the other hand, it was recognized amont Middle-East people that part of Japanese people have different opinion from the government about the Iraq issue. It was recongized in the world that there were Japanese youngsters who had supported children in Iraq or had worried of the damages by depleted uranium weapons.

This would benefit Japan. Japan is the democratic country,which respects for various opinions. There are not a few people who have some doubts about Iraq war. It is worried that too much criticism against the hostages might lose the good point of Japan.