Akihiko Saito
{{short description|Japanese security contractor and terrorism casualty}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Akihiko Saito
| image = File:Akihiko Saito FFL photo.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption = Akihiko Saito in the mid 1980s when he was with the French Foreign Legion's 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment.
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1961|1|5}}
| birth_place = Japan
| death_date = {{death date and age|2005|5|9|1961|5|1}}
| death_place = Iraq
| death_cause = Gunshot wounds sustained in a Jaish Ansar al-Sunna-planned ambush
| occupation = * 1st Airborne Brigade paratrooper, JGSDF (Former)
- 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment soldier, French Foreign Legion, French Army (Former)
- Hart Security Ltd. Security contractor
| relatives = Hironobu Saito {{small|(brother)}}
}}
{{nihongo|Akihiko Saito|斎藤昭彦|Saitō Akihiko|January 5, 1961 – May 9, 2005}} was a Japanese security specialist adviser who was taken hostage by the Jaish Ansar al-Sunna in Iraq in 2005.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4589041.stm|title=Japanese hostage confirmed dead |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|accessdate=June 15, 2013|date=May 28, 2005| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090615100303/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4589041.stm | archivedate = 2009-06-15| url-status=live}}
Saito's abduction and subsequent death came as a shock to the Japanese public who were surprised to find out that a former member of the Japanese Self-Defence Force was operating as a private security officer in Iraq.{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/archive/2005/05/2008410101047742972.html|title=Japanese media glorifies Iraq hostage|date=May 25, 2005|accessdate=June 16, 2013|publisher=Al Jazeera|author=Gavin Blair}}
Early life
Prior to entering the French Foreign Legion, Akihiko served in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) in the 1st Airborne Brigade in 1979{{cite news|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/02/16/national/expatriates-find-uneasy-refuge-in-foreign-legion/#.Ucmo7pykeSp|title=Expatriates find uneasy refuge in Foreign Legion|author=Dai Kaneko|accessdate=2013-06-26|date=2008-02-16|newspaper=The Japan Times}}{{cite news |url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/newsmakers/2005/May/newsmakers_May4.xml§ion=newsmakers |title=Akihiko Saito |newspaper=Khaleej Times |url-status=dead |access-date=2017-06-29 |archive-date=2005-05-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050527083527/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data%2Fnewsmakers%2F2005%2FMay%2Fnewsmakers_May4.xml§ion=newsmakers }}{{cite news|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606123258/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20050511a4.html|url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20050511a4.html|title=Kidnapping reveals a Japanese warrior|date=May 11, 2005|accessdate=June 15, 2013|archivedate=June 6, 2011 |newspaper=The Japan Times}} before he left in 1981.{{cite news|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120912162307/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20050512f1.html|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20050512f1.html|title=Saito just one of many Japanese in French Foreign Legion: ex-legionnaire|author=Reiji Yoshida|date=May 12, 2005|accessdate=June 15, 2013|archivedate=September 12, 2012 |newspaper=The Japan Times}} Akihiko was subsequently recruited into the ranks of the French Foreign Legion in June 1983,{{cite news|url=http://www.liberation.fr/monde/0101529320-le-japon-sans-nouvelles-du-soldat-saito-disparu-en-irak|title=Le Japon sans nouvelles du "soldat" Saito, disparu en Irak|date=2005-05-17|accessdate=2013-06-26|newspaper=Libération|language=French}} serving for 20 years.{{cite news |author= Burns, John F. |date= May 11, 2005 |title= Iraq Legislators Set Up Panel to Draft a Constitution |location= www.nytimes.com |newspaper= The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/11/international/11iraq.html |accessdate= March 26, 2011}} When he left the Legion, his rank was Chief Adjutant (French: Adjudant-Chef).[http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20050512f1.html Saito just one of many Japanese in French Foreign Legion: ex-legionnaire.] Retrieved on April 25, 2008. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606123738/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20050512f1.html |date=June 6, 2011 }} Saito was notably deployed with the French Foreign Legion's 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, serving in numerous combat operations in Africa. During his time with the Legion, he was based at Calvi/Corsica.
Abduction
Akihiko Saito had been working for Hart Security Ltd., a Cyprus-based{{cite news |author= Roberts, Joel |date= May 10, 2005 |title= Iraq Militants Strike Back |location= www.cbsnews.com |publisher= CBSNEWS WORLD |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraq-militants-strike-back/ |access-date= March 26, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103173600/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/05/11/iraq/main694382.shtml | archive-date = 2012-11-03| url-status=live}} British firm as a security specialist (under contract to PWC Logistics at the Abu Ghraib Warehouse Distribution Center near Baghdad International Airport) since December 2004 until his abduction by armed Jaish Ansar al-Sunna militants.{{cite web|url=http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=12237|title=JAPAN: Japanese Security Specialist Kidnapped in Iraq|publisher=Corp Watch|accessdate=June 15, 2013|date=May 10, 2005|author=Kanako Takahara of the Japan Times| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20071020023104/http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=12237 | archivedate = 2007-10-20| url-status=live}} He was ambushed alongside five other foreign contractors (most of them South African).{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/10/world/africa/10iht-iraq.html|title=U.S. attack rages a 3rd day in Iraq|date=May 11, 2005|accessdate=June 16, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times}} However those foreign contractors were part of a convoy including twelve additional Iraqi security contractors along with five Iraqi truck drivers they were hired to safeguard; in total 23 people were killed in the ambush that took place in the town of Hit and in which Saito was abducted.{{cite news|url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/world/japan-unfazed-by-alleged-hostage-takers-1.240674?ot=inmsa.ArticlePrintPageLayout.ot|title=Japan unfazed by alleged hostage-takers|newspaper=Independent Online|accessdate=June 16, 2013|date=May 10, 2005|author=Linda Sleg}}
He was eventually killed by Jaish Ansar al-Sunna militants, as shown in a video released on the internet.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1490923/Japanese-hostage-held-in-Iraq-is-murdered.html|title=Japanese hostage held in Iraq is murdered|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=May 28, 2005|accessdate=June 16, 2013|location=London}}
Aftermath
Video of a dead body was posted online on May 27, 2005, purportedly by the group, along with Saito's identification papers and passport; his identity in the video was visually confirmed by his brother Hironobu Saito,{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Iraq/Japanese-hostage-killed-in-Iraq/2005/05a/29/1117305498880.html |title=Japanese hostage killed in Iraq |date=May 30, 2005 |accessdate=June 15, 2013 |newspaper=The Age |author=Deborah Cameron |location=Melbourne }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} the Japanese Foreign Ministry,{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Body-of-gunforhire-hostage-identified/2005/05/29/1117305502574.html|title=Body of gun-for-hire hostage identified|author=Deborah Cameron|date=May 30, 2005|accessdate=June 15, 2013|work=The Sydney Morning Herald| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20121113202107/http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Body-of-gunforhire-hostage-identified/2005/05/29/1117305502574.html | archivedate = 2012-11-13| url-status=live}} the Japanese National Police Agency and Hart Security.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27609-2005May29.html|title=Japanese Contractor Is Feared Slain in Iraq|author=Jonathan Finer and Anthony Faiola|date=May 29, 2005|accessdate=June 16, 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post}}
According to Al Jazeera, his presence in Iraq may have been used to legitimize the deployment of Japanese troops to Iraqi soil. His death was condemned by the Iraqi government.{{cite web|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-05/28/content_3014502.htm|title=Iraqi govt condemns killing of Japanese hostage|date=May 28, 2005|accessdate=June 16, 2013|publisher=Xinhua News| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20131116103733/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-05/28/content_3014502.htm | archivedate = 2013-11-16| url-status=dead}} The Japanese government had condemned his death, saying that it will do little to hamper JSDF deployment to Iraq.{{cite web|url=http://www.modoracle.com/news_articles/mod_news/Japan_Wont_Pull_Troops_Over_Kidnapping_8242.htm|title=Japan Won't Pull Troops Over Kidnapping|date=May 10, 2005|accessdate=June 16, 2013|publisher=British Ministry of Defence Oracle|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029195647/http://www.modoracle.com/news_articles/mod_news/Japan_Wont_Pull_Troops_Over_Kidnapping_8242.htm|archivedate=2013-10-29|url-status=dead}}
He was the sixth Japanese worker in Iraq to be taken hostage; two others had been killed and three released. While about 600 JGSDF personnel were in Iraq at any time, none had been killed when they withdrew in July 2006.{{cite news|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-06-19-japan-iraq_x.htm|title=Japan to withdraw its 600 troops from Iraq|date=June 20, 2006|newspaper=USA Today|accessdate=June 15, 2013}}
The Tokyo Stock Exchange was not affected by the kidnapping with traders saying that it did little or nothing at all to affect the stock market. His abduction fueled more opposition against the Japanese government's plans to send JSDF forces to Iraqi soil, believing that their presence would make them a terror target.
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saito, Akihiko}}
Category:Foreign hostages in Iraq
Category:Soldiers of the French Foreign Legion
Category:Japanese people taken hostage
Category:Japanese people murdered abroad
Category:People murdered in Iraq
Category:Japanese people of the Iraq War