Recent developments in Afghanistan have made it difficult to confirm the whereabouts of a Japanese national being detained by Taliban authorities, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said Thursday.
"We have not confirmed what sort of situation (the Japanese national) is in right now, especially because of the Taliban's retreat," Fukuda said. "We are collecting various kinds of information."
Tokyo-based freelance journalist Daigen Yanagida, 37, was captured by the Taliban on Oct. 22 on suspicion of spying. Earlier, he was thought to be in the eastern city of Jalalabad.
Fukuda's comments came as Taliban forces retreated toward their southern stronghold of Kandahar, abandoning six provinces after surrendering Afghanistan's capital of Kabul to Northern Alliance troops.