Japan says a second Japanese person is detained in Iran and demands their early release

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TOKYO (AP) — A second Japanese national has been detained in Iran, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said Friday and demanded the early release of both people.

The ministry confirmed the second person had been detained before the Feb. 28 military strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel.

The ministry said the detainee is safe and in good health but gave no other details such as the timing of the detention or whether it is related to the detention of a Japanese journalist reported last month.

Japanese officials had confirmed the first person's detention though they refused to give the detainee’s identity.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told a parliamentary panel Friday that officials were able to contact the two after the Feb. 28 strikes and confirmed their safety. The government is “doing everything to support them, their families and others involved,” Motegi said.

Motegi said he insisted on the importance of their protection and early release when he met with the Iranian ambassador this week.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has named the first detainee as Shinnosuke Kawashima, the Tehran bureau chief of Japanese public broadcaster NHK. Its report quoted an unidentified source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to fear of retribution.

CPJ said Kawashima was arrested Jan. 20 by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and was transferred Feb. 23 to Evin Prison.

The organization demanded the immediate release of Kawashima and other journalists detained for their work.