The four Japanese mining engineers and their Kyrgyz translator who had been held hostage by Islamic rebels were released Monday after 63 days of captivity. The five men, the last of 13 hostages seized in August by the militants, were healthy and in good spirits. We extend our thanks and congratulations to the government of Kyrgyzstan for securing their safe release.
The kidnapping is the second mishap to befall Japanese nationals in Central Asia. In July 1998, Yutaka Akino, a specialist in the region, was ambushed and murdered in Tajikistan, along with three other members of a United Nations observer mission. The tragedy underscored an unpleasant truth: While there are many hazardous places in the world, Central Asia is one of the most dangerous and unpredictable. That grim reality cannot be used as an excuse to withdraw from a critical part of the world, however. Japan has decided -- rightly -- to make Central Asia a foreign-policy priority. The government should not change course, but it must make every effort to ensure that its personnel are protected when they go to work.
The four geologists were working in Kyrgyzstan for the Japan International Cooperation Agency, attempting to help the country develop its mineral resources. The actual work arrangements were complicated: Although the assignment came under the authority of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, the men were JICA representatives, ostensibly working for the Overseas Mineral Resources Development Co. If that is not confusing enough, only one of the four is a bona fide employee of that last organization; the other three are employees of a Mitsui Group mining company. This convoluted chain raises questions about who was in the best position to make decisions about safety and remaining at their jobs.