TOKYO, April 7 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- A Japanese journalist, who had been detained by Iran since January, was released, but cannot leave the country at war against the United States and Israel, Japanese government sources said Tuesday, Kyodo News reported.
The person, the Tehran bureau chief of public broadcaster NHK, has been charged with security-related offences and is expected to stand trial, according to the sources.
The bureau chief is the second to be released after the government announced last month that two Japanese citizens had been detained. The first detainee returned home on March 22.
Top government spokesman Minoru Kihara told a press conference Tuesday that the second person was released on bail Monday local time, without providing the name of the individual.
After the release, Japan's ambassador to Iran met the individual in person and confirmed that there were no health concerns, the chief Cabinet secretary said, adding the Japanese government has urged Iran to allow the second detainee to return home.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi had previously requested his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi to release the Japanese nationals.
-- BERNAMA-KYODO
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