Japan said on Friday (March 6, 2026) that a second Japanese national was being held in Iran, calling for their immediate release.
Japan had previously said that one Japanese citizen was arrested on January 20, 2026, with reports saying he was the Tehran bureau chief of public broadcaster NHK.
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The identity of the second Japanese person held and the date as well as other details of the arrest are unclear.
News of the additional detention comes after the United States and Israel began a sweeping military campaign against Iran that has resulted in Tehran firing retaliatory strikes around the region.
