Shinsuke Hashida

Shinsuke Hashida, 61, and his nephew Kotaro Ogawa, 33, were heading to Baghdad by car when another vehicle approached from behind and they were fired upon.

Hashida was a resident of Bangkok while Ogawa lived in Tottori Prefecture. Both were natives of Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Kotaro Ogawa

Hashida is believed to have been trapped inside their car when it burst into flames following the attack while Ogawa's body was found about 10 km west of the attack site in Yusufiyah.

Government sources said that Ogawa was apparently shot to death by the assailants after he escaped from the vehicle before it exploded.

According to an Iraqi driver who was with Ogawa and Hashida as well as witnesses in Mahmudiyah, Ogawa managed to escape from their car after the attack, but he went missing immediately after a vehicle carrying a group of assailants returned to the scene.

The Japan Times Weekly: June 5, 2004
(C) All rights reserved