On Jan. 16, Islamic militants believed led by the elusive commander Mokhtar Belmokhtar struck a natural-gas processing plant in Ain Amenas, Algeria. In the rescue attempt by units of Algeria's army, as many as 81 people may have died, among which were 10 Japanese employees of Yokohama-based JGC Corporation — referred to as Nikki in the domestic media.
The sorrowful Jan. 26 arrival at Narita airport of the remains of nine of the 10 Nikki employees who perished in the assault was befitting a reception for fallen soldiers. Some domestic media went so far to refer to the men's deaths as junshoku (death in the line of duty).
Two days later in a speech before the Diet, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe voiced determination to fight terrorism "in ongoing coordination with the international community."