Two Japanese shot dead in northern Iraq

[Steve Bildermann]

Two Japanese were fatally shot and their driver seriously injured by an attacker or attackers near Tikrit in northern Iraq on Saturday afternoon, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

The ministry, citing reports from Iraq, said the attack occurred near Tikrit, about 150 kilometers north of Baghdad, around 5 p.m. local time (11 p.m. Japan time) as the three were riding in a four-wheel drive vehicle.

http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=2&id=280538

BBC report Japanese nationals killed in Iraq




Seven Spaniards, Two Japanese Die in Iraqi Attacks

[GuyJean]

Two Japanese were fatally shot and their driver seriously injured by an attacker or attackers near Tikrit in northern Iraq on Saturday afternoon, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

I always kind of wonder why foreigners in dangerous countries don't try to blend in a little more..

Mr Takashima said the vehicle in which the two Japanese had been travelling had been identified as a black, four-wheel-drive armoured car registered in Lebanon.

To me, this screams "TARGET!" I hope they were hiding their Louis Vouitton wallets..

"Unfortunately, it is night right now and because the area of Tikrit is not safe, they cannot move at the moment. As soon as the sun rises... the Japanese embassy will dispatch someone to Tikrit."

Hhhhhmmm. Could it be that if the SDF was already there, they could have assisted in the security of the diplomats?.. Once again, Japan's lethargy costs... possibly. Just a thought.

GJ

[Robato]

so it begins. Japan will now see its own people die a lot more when they send the troops there.....

We are all knee deep in shit on a route that has no turning back though.

I suggest to blinky that he should start focusing on middle eastern people living in tokyo rather than chinese. Im sure as hell glad I live in a little town in Aichi at the moment rather than somewhere like Tokyo

[Taro Toporific]

Mr Takashima said the vehicle in which the two Japanese had been travelling had been identified as a black, four-wheel-drive armoured car registered in Lebanon.

To me, this screams "TARGET!" I hope they were hiding their Louis Vuitton wallets..

"Blend in"? Surely you jest. They need to spread the wealth.

At this moment I'm emailing your comment to N-chan at the Japanese Mission in Kabul with my comment. N-chan previously was stationed 2 years in Arbil near Tiket.

Dang. You're lucky you don't look all that typically Japanese. Every professional kidnapper in world knows the Japanese are the best target since the Foreign Ministry pays the best ransoms and has the least capable security of any country of the world.

[GuyJean]

"Blend in"? Surely you jest.

Actually, I think the Japanese are more capable of 'blending in' than say a tall, white target like myself. Most countries I can appear like a native aren't that dangerous.. Europe, Canada, Germany.. FEAR! .. Well, maybe Russia.

Japanese, when wearing the right clothes and tanned can look like the natives of Mongolia, Central and South America, areas in Russia, even the northern part of Pakistan.. My storky ass wouldn't last half as long as a bearded, tanned Japanese in native garb..

But they often make the mistake of showing their wealth; like wearing high-heels to the beach, or packing Japanese rice when they travel.. 'Hellooo.. Look at me.. I am rich Japanese. Please mug me.'

GJ

[Nagged]

The attack came a little more than two weeks after 19 Italians were killed in a suicide bombing appeared aimed at undercutting the cohesion of the U.S.-led coalition, which includes more than 30 countries.

Let's forget the political crap for just a moment and dwell on the fact that real people are getting killed in Iraq, both local and foreigners.

Consider all the people who have gotten caught up in the war against their will, they are the real victims.

And consider those who risk their lives to help them. I'm sure a lot of them are just trying to help. They don't deserve to become another statistic. And they certainly don't deserve people putting shit on them.

[japslapper]

....and now the Japanese media is gonna go over the top reporting this....the seven Spainish on the same day will hardly get a mention

Too bad being knocked off - but hey shit happens

I wonder if Japan supplied 10,000 or so troops to the Iraq campaign, that their rate of death would be greater than that of the US and British troops? I surmise it would be atleast twice -lack of experience and general lack flexability would be the cause.........

[Taro Toporific]

"Blend in"? Surely you jest.

Japanese, when wearing the right clothes and tanned can look like the natives of Mongolia, Central and South America, areas in Russia, even the northern part of Pakistan...

Actually.... being Japanese is B_A_D in Kabul because the "Hazara", hated Mongol minority. In Northern Iraq, the few Hazara are garbage pickers.

Getting back to being Japanese in northern Afghanistan...
Remember the Buddi-Bamiyan statues, the towering Buddha Taliban blew up? Those where Hazaraim Buddha. Here are the words straight from my Japanese FG correspondent working for the UN in Kabul....

I'm in kabul and got my UNLP with all visas fine last Friday

thanks for sending me the news. i guess i will be wearing
only western cloth to avoid being mistaken as afghan
hazara. maybe i should dye my hair blond??

=====--- more news ---======

U.N. suspends travel on 2 Afghan roads in wake of attacks
Sunday, November 30, 2003 6:47AM EST
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)- Two attacks on Afghan soldiers taking part in a U.N.-sponsored weapons collection program in northern Afghanistan forced the United Nations to suspend travel along two main roads in the area, an official said Sunday.
... The $41 million initiative, funded mostly by Japan, aims to decommission 100,000 battle-hardened militiamen in a step toward peace and the creation of a new

[Steve Bildermann]

Two South Koreans Dead, Two Hurt in Iraq Shooting

Gunmen shot dead two South Korean electricity workers and wounded two others in Iraq (news - web sites) on Sunday, but South Korea (news - web sites) said it was too early to say whether the incident would affect Seoul's decision to send more troops there.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=2&u=/nm/20031130/ts_nm/iraq_attack_dc

A day earlier, a Colombian civilian working as a contractor for the military was killed in an ambush on a convoy, the U.S. military said Sunday.