Shosei Koda

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Shosei Koda

Shosei Koda shortly before his beheading
Born (1979-11-29)29 November 1979
Japan
Died 29 October 2004(2004-10-29) (aged 24)
Iraq
Cause of death
 Beheading

Shosei Koda (香田 証生 Kōda Shōsei, 29 November 1979 – 29 October 2004) was a Japanese citizen who was kidnapped and later beheaded in Iraq on 29 October 2004, by Zarqawi's group, while touring the country. He was the first Japanese beheaded in Iraq.[1]

Early life and education

Koda's parents were members of the United Church of Christ.[2] The family was from Nogata, a small southern city in Japan.[3] Koda's mother is a nurse.[3] Koda left high school and worked as a house painter till 2002.[3]

Kidnapping and death

Koda left Amman on 20 October 2004.[3] He ignored advice not to travel to Iraq, and entered the country because he wanted to know what was happening there.[4][5]

Koda's captors stated that they would "treat him like his predecessors Berg and Bigley"[6] (Bigley was murdered just weeks before by the organization, before being known as Al Qaeda in Iraq) if Japan did not withdraw its forces from Iraq within 48 hours. The Japanese government headed by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi refused to comply with these demands, stating that they will not concede to terrorists.[7]

In the video sequence of Koda's murder, Koda sits on the American flag, his captors standing behind him. Koda's hands are tied behind his back. He is blindfolded while a captor reads a speech for two minutes and ten seconds. The captors then hold him down on the ground as they begin to decapitate him. Throughout the beheading, the captors chant "Erhaby Ana," a nasheed. The video sequence ends with shots of Koda's severed head on top of his body followed by shots of the banner of al-Qaeda in Iraq. His body was found in Baghdad on 30 October wrapped in an American flag.[8]

Aftermath

Koda's body was returned to Japan.[8] His death provoked mixed responses in Japan. While many Japanese citizens were angered and appalled by the murder, some blamed the victim and others criticized the Koizumi administration.[9]

Koda's given name, Shōsei, literally means "proof of life" in Japanese. Mark Simkin of the Australian television news program Lateline said that this was an "awful irony" for people who had prayed for Koda's survival for four days.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Shosei Koda was the first Japanese killed in Iraq". Pravda. 31 October 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013. 
  2. ↑ "Death Not in Vain: Son of Japanese Christian Parents Kidnapped and Killed by Militants in Baghdad." Japan Christian Activity News Fall/Winter 2004. (Archive) National Christian Council in Japan. ISSN 0021-4353. Number 737 (Northern Hemisphere) Fall/Winter 2004. 6 (6/20). Retrieved on 7 March 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Shosei Koda". Khaleej Times (Tokyo). AFP. 31 October 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013. 
  4. ↑ "Japanese hostage in Iraq believed to be civilian traveler." China Daily. 27 October 2004. Retrieved on 7 March 2011.
  5. ↑ "Was Koda just silly or was his curiosity justified? Young people have their say" The Japan Times. 29 October 2004. Retrieved on 7 March 2011.
  6. ↑ "Group seizes Japanese man in Iraq". BBC. 27 October 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013. 
  7. ↑ Roberts, Joel. "Report: Japanese Hostage Killed." CBS News. 29 October 2004. Retrieved on 7 March 2011.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Beheaded Japanese to be flown home". CNN (Tokyo). 1 November 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Simkin, Mark. "Mixed reaction to Japanese beheading in Iraq." Lateline. 1 November 2004. Retrieved on 7 March 2011.

External links

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