Reporter's body returned to Japan

[rumpel]

Source: BBC


Last Updated: Thursday, 4 October 2007, 04:10 GMT 05:10 UK

The body of a Japanese video journalist shot dead in Burma last week during the government's crackdown on pro-democracy protests has been returned to Japan.

An autopsy will be held to determine Kenji Nagai's exact cause of death.

Japanese officials have said that he was shot at close range and not hit accidentally by a stray bullet as Burmese authorities have said.

Mr Nagai's employers at APF News are demanding that Burma returns the camera he held in his hand when he was killed.

Burmese authorities have only returned a second camera that Mr Nagai is believed to have used as a back-up.

"Our biggest task now is to confirm and report on what's in and what he wanted to tell the people on his last day," said Toru Yamaji, the head of APF News.

Climate of fear

On Wednesday, Japan's Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said that aid to Burma might be suspended.

Japan is Burma's largest aid donor.

The EU has agreed in principle to toughen existing sanctions against Burma and is reportedly looking at ways of specifically targeting its military rulers.



Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7027237.stm

[Lucinda]

1. It's such an awful, sad tragedy

Will be keeping his friends and family in my thoughts