Japanese student freed in Pakistan taken to Tehran

Monday 16th June, 01:50 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 21 Total Comments Show All

rtrhead1 at 02:38 PM JST - 15th June

I don't know, the ever present threat of kidnapping. The leader who's even nuttier than ours. Oh wait, Iran is a place of peace and understanding and it is just misunderstood because America has it out for them. Yup, they're just being bullied and are really just innocent, free, and oppressed by the west.
romulus3 at 05:22 PM JST - 15th June

some14some,

yeah. to travel to those nether regions you must be disillusioned already. a vulnerable, isolated, prime candidate for conversion, discipleship, and brainwashing. lets hope his public education in Japan was enough to ward off even the most sophisticated mind altering techniques, such as eikaiwas cannot convert the masses now.
kinniku at 06:56 PM JST - 15th June

If he was freed in Pakistan, why send him back to Tehran? Why not just send him home?
damexicanbuda at 11:30 PM JST - 15th June

As a father, I would be worried to death if my son were captured by bandits here in Japan, Iran, the USA or anywhere in the world. Than the gods he is back in 1 piece, alive and well. I am sure his family and friends muy be breathing a sigh of relief! Is Iran a safe country to visit,who knows, never been there and I would much rather visit a pyramid in Mexico and sip on some cold Corona beer without having to worry about bandits, I would rather worry about Montezuma's revenge!
buddha4brains at 07:42 AM JST - 16th June

I guess some of the posters glossed over the part that referred to the kidnappers as "bandits" and "drug smugglers". Nothing to suggest that they were terrorists or jihadists - except for the paranoia of some posters who suggest that the student was brainwashed.

I am sure romuulos3 did not intend to be ironic as there have been cases of American born and educated Jihadists - would he similarly criticize the country and education system that produced such unfortunates?

rtrhead1, well yes America does bully and seems to want to get Iran ever since the overthrow of the Shah. But Iran is certainly not an innocent nor free country.

Given the tragic history of people going into that area of the world and ending up dead, this story shows that some good does exist. The student is alive today because of it.
rtrhead1 at 08:08 AM JST - 16th June

buddha, we want to "get" Iran? Really? Have you listened to the sewage that spews from Ahmadinejad's mouth? He preaches hate and intolerance and makes threats to anyone and everyone who doesn't want to play by his wacked out rules. If he were out, and a less, uh, insane, gov't were there, it wouldn't be so bad. I am curious, how exactly does requesting that your nuclear reactors be inspected by the IOEA (not sure on the spelling, but I mean the international nuclear inspectors), and transparency of your nuclear program mean bullying? Especially since they are constantly making threats and calls to have Israel wiped off the map...
Youdontknow at 09:23 AM JST - 16th June

Iran is a melting pot of trouble just waiting to explode. Anyone who goes there or Iraq for the purpose of 'traveling', without first doing their homework, is a complete idiot.
romulus3 at 10:44 AM JST - 16th June

buddha4brains,

Only a complete fool would believe whole heartedly in reports out of Tehran and take them as gospel.
romulus3 at 05:18 PM JST - 16th June

Given the tragic history of people going into that area of the world and ending up dead, this story shows that some good does exist. The student is alive today because of it.

utter rubbish. heres what went down..

Japan: we gotta get our boy back. things are not so good at home. we need this Government to look heroic. Iran: we can find your boy. we just need a few dollars and some lifting of financial sanctions. Japan: shhhhhhsssstttt. (teeth sucking for a few months) Iran: we may have some information on where he is but it does not look good for him. Japan: shhhhhhsssstttt. (teeth sucking for a few more months) Iran: You Japanese are real good at sucking teeth. Japan: Chotto ne..(a few days go bye) Iran: well, we lost interest. Japan: OK, we will give you a few dollars and secretly lift some sanctions. Iran: Oh, we know exactly where he is. is so sudden, so joyous. we will give him back to you. Japan: silent mutterings about why he didn't just get his head cut off. Iran: are you still there? Japan: ok, ok. we will pay up
buddha4brains at 07:04 PM JST - 16th June

rtrhead1

Yeah Imadinnerjacket certainly does spew. Never said he didn't. I said that America has always had a hard on for Iran. The other day the Iraqi PM complained that the US wanted 50 long term bases in Iraq so it could ... what, soak up the sun? Are you going to argue that the US has no designs on Iran?

Romulus3

Agreed. The student is free, alive, and presumably safe right now. And you cannot see any good in that? Someone had to decide not to kill the lad - a moment of goodness however brief. Do you have to hate everyone who isn't you?
buddha4brains at 07:48 PM JST - 16th June

romulus3

You say the Iranians cannot be trusted? I say the same too. And it is not only me saying it if you bothered reading the news. There's lots of ugly out there, get use to it.
buddha4brains at 08:01 PM JST - 16th June

My point is that there was some good in Iran for the lad to gain his freedom. It is a very simple assertion.
laconic at 09:50 PM JST - 16th June

Saw on the news that the media are placing the blame for the whole situation firmly in the student`s court. They made it quite clear that the Japanese govt, on its travel advisory site, advises against travelling to Iran. Poor guy is really gonna get it when he gets back. Expect to see a lot of groveling and moshiwakenai-ing.
WilliB at 11:10 PM JST - 16th June

He is lucky. Unlike Shosei Koda, he got away alive with an "experience" under his belt.
some14some at 06:30 AM JST - 17th June

My point is that there was some good in Iran for the lad to gain his freedom

some good= money or change of heart on the part of terrorists and naturally i would bet on money.