Japanese journalist shot and killed in Myanmar

September 28, 2007

Kenji Nagai, 50, a Japanese video journalist shot dead in Myanmar (Burma) this Thursday, is alleged to have been shot intentionally, a report says. On Friday Japanese television station Fuji TV aired a film in which Nagai had been shown. In that film, VOA reports Nagai was "thrown to the ground by a soldier and shot at close range." Tokyo based Yomiuri Shimbun reports the anonymous local testimonies of that incident: Nagai was shot from a near distance while he filmed the anti-government demonstration. The local testimonials state that military and polices aimed at many citizens with cameras.

After being informed of the death of Nagai, the Japanese government demanded that the Burmese government investigate the death and punish the killer, Yomiuri reports.

APF, the Tokyo based news agency for which Nagai worked, reports that Reporters Without Borders, the Paris based non-profit, issued a protest against the Burmese government in response to his death. According to APF, RWB states Burmese government disturbs communications in several ways, including disturbance of cellular connection and blocking of blogs. According to Jiji, a Tokyo based newswire, RWB also requested Japanese government sanction of Myanmar.

Also, European Committee spokesperson accused the Burmese military government of being responsible for Nagai's death as well as all other violence in Burma. European Committee expresses their concern of the Burmese government attitude toward foreign press.