Japanese P.M. Vows to Keep Troops in Iraq

NPR | By Rob Gifford

Published April 9, 2004 at 12:00 AM EDT

On Friday, the mother of the youngest of three Japanese hostages being held in Iraq appealed to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to withdraw Japanese troops. But Koizumi says he has no intention of withdrawing the troops, and pledges that Japan will do its utmost to rescue the hostages. NPR's Rob Gifford reports from Tokyo.

Rob Gifford

Rob Gifford is the NPR foreign correspondent based in Shanghai.

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