When five Japanese were taken hostage in Iraq last month, huge public concern for their safe return quickly gave way to hostility and a campaign of vilification. A disastrous public appeal by the families of three of the hostages for the withdrawal of SDF troops from Iraq encouraged the government to take a tough line, and facilitated a media frenzy that sought to paint the hostages as reckless, naive and of dubious political affiliation.
However, a series of measures proposed by officials emboldened by the backlash and designed to prevent a repeat occurrence of the kidnap crisis may only have the effect of snuffing out Japan's nascent volunteer movement.
Public reaction to the repatriation of the hostages was shocking. Airport placards called them "self-centered" and "the shame of Japan." Public officials branded them "irresponsible," "reckless," even "antigovernment." Instead of a welcome, they were labeled troublemakers