By DPA
Tokyo : A 23-year-old Japanese student has been kidnapped in south-east Iran, Japanese news agencies reported Thursday, quoting the foreign ministry here.
The Japanese embassy in Tehran received calls twice from the man who said an armed group had captured him.
The Japanese government has confirmed him safe and Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura has asked for assistance from Iranian authorities.
The foreign minister Wednesday had set up a task force to deal with the incident while delegates from both countries agreed to cooperate in the rescue effort Thursday.
“The Japanese side has not yet contacted the kidnappers, but the Iranian side may have already reached them,” Komura was quoted as saying Thursday afternoon. “I am not aware of what the group is demanding.”
Iran’s IRNA news agency confirmed the kidnapping took place in the southeastern province of Kerman and announced “vast search operations” were underway to secure the man’s release.