Two of the five Japanese civilians taken hostage in Iraq and freed unharmed last month faced reporters Friday in Tokyo to talk for the first time about their captivity.
"I feel it is my responsibility to attend this news conference to talk about the situation in Iraq," said recent high school graduate Noriaki Imai, 18, an aspiring freelance writer.
Freelance photographer Soichiro Koriyama, 32, who was taken hostage along with Imai, meanwhile noted that the criticism they faced from Japanese government officials, politicians and public for putting themselves in harm's way after being warned to steer clear of Iraq, and calls to accept responsibility for their actions and pay for some of the costs incurred in gaining their release, has made it harder for them to cope with the experience.