A Bangladeshi businessman and his company filed an 11 million yen libel suit against Kyodo News on Wednesday, saying the news agency falsely reported last year that he was linked to the al-Qaida terrorist network.
Islam Mohamed Himu, a 35-year-old resident of Saitama Prefecture, and Tokyo-based Ryo International Co., which sells prepaid phone cards, are also demanding that Kyodo News publish an apology in major newspapers.
Himu and the company also filed a libel suit against Nippon Television Network Corp.
Both were filed with the Tokyo District Court.
The Kyodo lawsuit says the agency reported that Himu was linked to a key al-Qaida member. He says has had no relationship with that person.