I noticed a news story about the death of Japanese photo correspondent who died accidentally in the September incidents aired recently by RFA. It is common knowledge that certain radio stations have aired stories about his death repeatedly. Based on compelling evidences, I wrote an article ‘Attempts to harm amicable ties’ in order that the case did not have any adverse effects on the ties between the two countries. I think the people read it. Recently, RFA again broadcast a new story about his death, and the broadcast impelled me to write another article that is the sequel of the first article.

In the news story, RFA said that the 22 November issue of Shukan Bunshu Magazine disclosed that Kengi Nagai was not interested in Myanmar, but the APF News Agency, with which he had signed an agreement, forced him to cover news about the incidents in Myanmar. The headline of the story was Toru Yamaji, in charge of APF News Agency, making economic benefits from death of correspondent Kengi Nagai. It was said that the story was based on what Japanese woman (the article said Nagai was her adopted son), who lived in Thailand and was friendly with Nagai. The story of RFA was about a lawsuit filed against the publisher of the magazine and the writer, saying that the article slandered Nagai and embarrassed his family, so the family claimed more than five million Yen as compensation. He has met his tragic end. After listening to the news, one can guess what is happening in the family, resulting from his death.

The incident has been long, and I have explained time and again that his death was just an accident. Despite many explanations about his accidental death, many persons and radio stations are still self-opinionated about the death.

The article in the Shukan Bunshu Magazine said that Mr Nagai did not want to go to Myanmar till the last moment; that he had to do so under the instruction of head of the news agency Toru Yamaji; that Nagai

did not know about Myanmar at all, nor did he take interest in democracy movements; and that holding the camera openly and taking photos of the security guards in a face-to-face position in collecting news was very dangerous and it was an improper way. It also said that the head of the news agency praised Nagai as a democratic hero after the death of Nagai, who visited Myanmar unwillingly, and was making benefits through various news stories about the death, claiming that it was required to realize Kengi Nagai’s wish. Personally, I think he has made a lot of benefits by daily creating programmes in memory of Nagai.

The harshest accusation was that a security unit shot Kengi Nagai at close range. Kyauktada Police Station opened homicide case No 6/2007 regarding Nagai’s death, and then Yangon General Hospital carried out the case under PR 013. According to the postmortem conducted by the forensic doctor, the bullet penetrated the body from the part below the left shoulder in the back through the right chest. The entrance of the bullet hole was narrow and the exit was wide, and no burning, no gunpowder fouling and no tattooing were found. Therefore, it can be deduced that he was shot at a range of at least 30 yards. If he had been shot at close range, such findings would not have been discovered. So, it has become vivid what is right and what is wrong.

In the previous article, I presented that Nagai visited the nation holding tourist visa and tried to cover the news. He met his tragic end because he failed to apply for journalist visa and collected the news illegally. If he held a journalist visa, he would enjoy due security measures. It was undeniable that he visited the nation in a dishonest way.

At that time, Section 144 was in force, and he went to a restricted area. So, after all, he was to blame. The tape circulated in Japan carries the voices “Dangerous, dangerous, shooting, shooting” and “Never mind”. I do not know why he went to the restricted area despite his knowledge about possible risk.

The security troops took measures in accordance with Aid to Civil Power. Aid to Civil Power had been vested in the troops since 1 pm on 26 September 2007, so at the time the troops had power to open fire to disperse the crowd. According to the international procedures, the people in the forefront are to be dealt with first. So, Mr Nagai who at the time was in the forefront was hit. It should be understood that at that time, there were a large number of people and it was impossible to identify who was who. Indeed, measures were taken in conformity with the procedures.

After Mr Nagai fell down to the ground, some duty-conscious public members collected his belongings and sent him to the hospital. The policemen taking charge of duties at the hospital accepted his property from the public members who sent him, before the witnesses. And they informed the Japanese embassy and handed over 22 kinds of possessions to it. After they handed over the belongings, the embassy noticed that his Sony brand camera was missing. However, the airport declaration form did not show any Sony brand camera. He was the one who knew best that he did not bring the camera or he illegally brought the camera into the nation.

But the video programme aired in Japan has shown that a police officer confiscated a thing beside a person who fell down and propaganda spread that the stuff was a camera. So the authorities concerned explained to the Japanese ambassador that it was just a video trap and a trick could be seen after the incident had been looked into. As far as I remember, the man who was lying on the ground had nothing in his hands. Mr Nagai carried a bag. The place where the man fell down and its background were not the same as those shown on video. And neither were the images of the security guards. There was a difference between those wearing red hats and those wearing no hats. It is clear that the video tape the Japan news agencies produced was a trap. No officer picked up and kept Nagai’s camera. He carried no camera. It is rather difficult to return his stuff that he did not actually bring with him.

From the legal point of view, who is responsible for the death of Mr Nagai? He, despite being a correspondent, entered the country on a tourist visa. He did not act like a tourist. He came to the dangerous place where Section-144 was in force. He spoke ‘Never mind’ in English with Japanese accent. He did not declare his camera in the customs declaration form. These facts show who is to blame. The decision of the judge has proved that he was accidentally killed in the violence according to the report of a forensic doctor who performed an autopsy. If we review the facts the place where the incident happened and the uniforms of the security guards were all different and that the stuff the police officer picked up was a water bottle, not a camera, the news broadcast was merely a video trap.

In reality, Japan-Myanmar friendly ties have been cemented. The two countries are from Asia and have the same faith in Buddhism. Their relations have existed for a very long time. During the Second World War, the Japanese soldiers launched the offensive against the allied troops by getting stationed in the Myanmar land. The Japanese and Myanmar soldiers used to be comrades. Although our country fought against the Japanese for independence, it is no longer needed to say who is the winner and who the loser. The mutual cooperation has indicated the long-lasting friendship between the two countries.

I am not writing this article to argue who is right and who is wrong between the two peoples of the countries, which have forged the mutual friendship. But it is necessary to decide everything in a fair and just way. It is regrettable that there was political instigation and the true situation was hidden. Actually, the incident was very simple and a person among the protesters was accidentally killed. It was really a coincidence. In addition to a Japanese, about ten Myanmars died in the incident. He was not shot deliberately and no act was committed against the law. Measures were taken step by step in accord with the procedures of Aid to Civil Power. I would like to see the one-sided media that are still broadcasting fabricated news understand the true situation. In particular, we don’t want hatred to exist long. By nature, Myanmar people have patience, sympathy and understanding according to the Teachings of the Buddha. We no longer have hatred toward the Japanese Fascists and anti-Japan sentiments although our country suffered terribly in World War II. Although we can forget it as we are forward-looking people, some countries with similar experiences still have anti- Japan feelings. It is known to all.

Though our country and the people are magnanimous, Japanese media are still making profits by exaggerating the death of Mr Kengyi Nagai. I cannot say how many people are there like Head of APF Toru Yamaji, who wrote a news article about Mr Nagai in Shukan Bunshu magazine. Some Japanese news agencies repeatedly broadcast news stories about Mr Nagai’s visit to Myanmar distributed by some people, briefings of Japanese Foreign Affairs Ministry, demonstrations staged in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Tokyo, the protests that happened in Myanmar and rumours spread by some Myanmars who are in Japan, including the scenes featured in the said video tape.

The media are profiting at the expense of the death but those Japanese media should be aware of the fact that there might be misunderstanding between the peoples of the two countries. And consequently, it might adversely affect the friendly relations. The matter should be taken seriously. The duty of the media is tremendous. It is necessary to maintain the dignity by presenting the public authentic news. For the peoples of the two countries, they need to know the true situation by discarding the instigation of the media.

As for us, like all the Japanese people and Mr Nagai’s family, we are very sorry for the accidental death of a Japanese man. We have sympathy and understanding. That was why the dead body of Mr Nagai was sent to his country. As they insisted that he brought his Sony camera with him, we tried to look for it anyhow. We did it for the good sake of his bereaved family. But it was clear that he brought no camera as he did not mention in the declaration form.

In a nutshell, Japan-Myanmar relations have existed for long with mutual respect based on mutual friendship. In the long run also, both the governments and the peoples want to maintain such friendship and amity. I am writing this article so that the mutual friendship between the two countries may not be damaged due to some biased news agencies that are fabricating and exaggerating news stories. So I warn that we need to realize the ulterior motive of such news agencies and stay away from them.