The Japanese government has condemned the killing of a Japanese journalist in the anti-government protests in Myanmar and demanded an explanation from the military junta in Yangon, reports said Saturday, according to dpa. Japanese foreign minister Masahiko Koruma protested in the strongest terms at the killing of the 50-year-old journalist, Kenji Nagai, with his Myanmar counterpart at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the Japanese press agency Kyodo reported Saturday. Koruma also demanded an account of the circumstances surrounding the journalist's death. As far as could be gleaned from media reports, he was shot at close range and was not caught in crossfire, he said. Nyan Win has reportedly apologized for the journalist's death. According to reports in the Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun, the reporter was filming the protests Thursday at the Sule Pagoda, which has been a focal point for several of the demonstrations in Yangon, when a military commander ordered soldiers to shoot. Nagai filmed the soldiers chasing protestors and then fled, but was pursued by a soldier who then shot him at close range. A Japanese doctor who examined his body said that the bullet had pierced his heart, according to the reports. Komura said he was sending Deputy Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka to Myanmar and Nyan Win said he would like to hold solid discussions with Yabunaka, according to the officials. Nyan Win claimed the anti-government protests were organized by foreign elements aimed at the timing of the United Nations General Assembly, the Japanese officials said. Komura, in turn, was quoted as saying: "Even if that is the case, demonstrations of this magnitude would not have been staged if people in Myanmar had not been filled with a sense of dissatisfaction." Komura stressed the importance of seeking a solution through dialogue with anti-government forces and promoting democratization, according to the officials. Komura asked Nyan Win to have Myanmar government offer concrete measures to improve the situation when Ibrahim Gambari, a special adviser to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, visited Myanmar, the officials said. Nyan Win was quoted as telling Komura that he would convey the message to the capital, Kyodo reported. Komura held separate talks with Ban at the UN headquarters and the two leaders shared the view that the international community should be united in urging the Myanmar junta to exercise restraint and promote democracy, the reports said.
