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 Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group, while touring the country. He was the first Japanese person beheaded in Iraq.[1]
Koda's parents, Setsuko Koda and Masumi Koda, were members of the United Church of Christ.[2] Due to Koda's family affiliation with the United Church of Christ, a crosstattoo was inscribed upon his arm.[3] The family was from Nōgata, Fukuoka, a small southern city in Japan,[4] and his mother was a nurse. Koda dropped out of high school in his junior year before he started working as an interior painter until 2002.[4]
Kidnapping and deathedit
Koda left Amman on 20 October 2004.[4] He ignored advice not to travel to Iraq, and entered the country, because he was curious as to what happened there.[5][6]
Koda's captors stated that they would "treat him like his predecessors Berg and Bigley"[7] (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.[8]
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, "Erhaby Ana (English: I am a Terrorist)", a nasheed, is played. 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.[9]
Aftermathedit
Koda's body was returned to Japan.[9] He was given a Christian funeral.[2] The events 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.[10]
^"Shosei Koda was the first Japanese killed in Iraq". Pravda. 31 October 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
^ ab"Death Not in Vain: Son of Japanese Christian Parents Kidnapped and Killed by Militants in Baghdad." Japan Christian Activity News Fall/Winter 2004. () National Christian Council in Japan. ISSN 0021-4353. Number 737 (Northern Hemisphere) Fall/Winter 2004. 6 (6/20). Retrieved on 7 March 2011.
^On the kidnapping affair of Shosei Koda (in Japanese)
^ abc. Khaleej Times. Tokyo. Agence France-Presse. 31 October 2004. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
^. Archived from the original on 30 October 2004. Retrieved 6 January 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). China Daily. 27 October 2004. Retrieved on 7 March 2011.
^. The Japan Times. 29 October 2004. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011.
^"Group seizes Japanese man in Iraq". BBC. 27 October 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
^Roberts, Joel. "Report: Japanese Hostage Killed" (). CBS News. 29 October 2004. Retrieved on 7 March 2011.
^ ab. CNN. Tokyo. 1 November 2004. Archived from the original on 2 November 2004. Retrieved 2 November 2004.
^Simkin, Mark. "Mixed reaction to Japanese beheading in Iraq" (). Lateline. 1 November 2004. Retrieved on 7 March 2011.
External linksedit
Shosei Koda's Grave
October 27, 2023
shosei, koda, 香田, 証生, kōda, shōsei, november, 1979, october, 2004, japanese, citizen, kidnapped, later, beheaded, iraq, october, 2004, musab, zarqawi, group, while, touring, country, first, japanese, person, beheaded, iraq, koda, shortly, before, beheadingborn. 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 Abu Musab al Zarqawi s group while touring the country He was the first Japanese person beheaded in Iraq 1 Shosei KodaKoda shortly before his beheadingBorn 1979 11 29 29 November 1979Nōgata Fukuoka JapanDied29 October 2004 2004 10 29 aged 24 IraqCause of deathBeheadingNationalityJapaneseParent s Setsuko KodaMasumi Koda Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Kidnapping and death 3 Aftermath 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEarly life and education editKoda s parents Setsuko Koda and Masumi Koda were members of the United Church of Christ 2 Due to Koda s family affiliation with the United Church of Christ a cross tattoo was inscribed upon his arm 3 The family was from Nōgata Fukuoka a small southern city in Japan 4 and his mother was a nurse Koda dropped out of high school in his junior year before he started working as an interior painter until 2002 4 Kidnapping and death editKoda left Amman on 20 October 2004 4 He ignored advice not to travel to Iraq and entered the country because he was curious as to what happened there 5 6 Koda s captors stated that they would treat him like his predecessors Berg and Bigley 7 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 8 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 Erhaby Ana English I am a Terrorist a nasheed is played 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 9 Aftermath editKoda s body was returned to Japan 9 He was given a Christian funeral 2 The events 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 10 See also edit nbsp Japan portal nbsp Biography portalKenji Goto Piotr Stanczak Eugene Armstrong Paul Marshall Johnson Jr Kim Sun il Jack Hensley Daniel Pearl Margaret Hassan Seif Adnan KanaanReferences edit Shosei Koda was the first Japanese killed in Iraq Pravda 31 October 2004 Retrieved 31 January 2013 a b 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 On the kidnapping affair of Shosei Koda in Japanese a b c Shosei Koda Khaleej Times Tokyo Agence France Presse 31 October 2004 Archived from the original on 21 February 2014 Retrieved 31 January 2013 Japanese hostage in Iraq believed to be civilian traveler Archived from the original on 30 October 2004 Retrieved 6 January 2010 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link China Daily 27 October 2004 Retrieved on 7 March 2011 Was Koda just silly or was his curiosity justified Young people have their say The Japan Times 29 October 2004 Archived from the original on 7 June 2011 Group seizes Japanese man in Iraq BBC 27 October 2004 Retrieved 31 January 2013 Roberts Joel Report Japanese Hostage Killed Archive CBS News 29 October 2004 Retrieved on 7 March 2011 a b Beheaded Japanese to be flown home CNN Tokyo 1 November 2004 Archived from the original on 2 November 2004 Retrieved 2 November 2004 Simkin Mark Mixed reaction to Japanese beheading in Iraq Archive Lateline 1 November 2004 Retrieved on 7 March 2011 External links editShosei Koda s Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shosei Koda amp oldid 1181957422, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
