Young people gave a range of opinions Thursday on the decision of a 24-year-old man taken hostage by militants in Iraq to enter the country alone.

Several people criticized hostage Shosei Koda's behavior, calling it foolish, while others said they could understand his curiosity.

"I think it's silly to go to Iraq for travel purposes," said college student Satoshi Fujii, 22, of Fukuoka. Iraq "is not a place one should risk visiting."