Families and colleagues of Japanese hostages released from the ambassador's residence in Lima embraced a long-awaited end to the four-month crisis April 23.
"I couldn't confirm my dad's release on television, so I was relieved when I heard from my mother directly that he was rescued safely," said Morimichi Aoki, 24, the eldest son of Ambassador Morihisa Aoki, at his home in Hiroshima. Aoki's youngest son said his mother, Naoko, had called him at about 7 a.m. April 23 from Lima on her mobile phone. She accompanied the ambassador to a local hospital after he was rescued, the son said.
"You probably know already, but your dad is safe now," he quoted his mother as saying. "More than anything, I felt so relieved," he added.