Journalist Jumpei Yasuda, who returned to Japan last month after being held by militants in Syria for more than three years, said Thursday that he did not hold any grudge toward the Japanese government over his ordeal.
"I believe the government officials did everything they could," given their stance of not paying ransoms to terrorists and that gathering information on the situation in that region is difficult.
"I owe an apology to all those who did their utmost to secure my release, and I'd also like to say that I'm deeply grateful for all the efforts" that led to the release, he told a jam-packed news conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo.