Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura voiced anger Thursday over the kidnapping and killing of aid worker Kazuya Ito in Afghanistan.
"I am strongly indignant over this inhuman act," Machimura told a news conference. "At the same time, I also feel that we must honor Ito's will and I believe Japan must make various efforts as a 'peace-fostering nation.' "
According to the Foreign Ministry, Ito's body was transported out of Jalalabad on an Afghan military helicopter Thursday morning and arrived at Kabul around noon local time. Although the details had not been decided, Machimura said the body would be sent to Japan sometime after Friday.