Japan's government has confirmed that a decapitated body found in Baghdad is that of a Japanese hostage seized by Iraqi militants Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura told reporters in Tokyo today (Sunday) that 24-year-old hostage Shosei Koda was the victim of terrorism.
Militants loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had demanded that Japan withdraw its troops from Iraq or they would behead Mr. Koda. Iraqi police found the body Saturday.
Meanwhile, al-Jazeera television has broadcast a videotape of a Polish hostage pleading for her life and asking her country to withdraw its troops from Iraq.
Separately, a group calling itself the "1920 Brigades" has apparently abducted a Sudanese man (Noureddin Zakaria) who worked as an interpreter for an American company.