Big ransom paid to free student in Iran

Japan paid the equivalent of about ¥200 million to resolve the kidnapping of a Japanese national in Iran, a government source said Monday.

Free: Satoshi Nakamura is shown in this video footage shot in Tehran after he was released by his kidnappers in June. KYODO PHOTO

The money is believed to have been a de facto ransom payment for university student Satoshi Nakamura, who was kidnapped by an armed group in October 2007 and released eight months later.

The Foreign Ministry denied making the payment, with an official saying the claim is "groundless."

Both the Japanese and Iranian governments have said there was no ransom payment.

The source said it is not known if the money which was allegedly disbursed from the Foreign Ministry's discretionary fund was delivered to the armed group.

There also is a plan under consideration to provide money to local tribal officials who helped negotiate Nakamura's release under the guise of poverty alleviation programs.

Another government official has said Japan paid $3 million for the release of four Japanese in 1999 in Kyrgyzstan, which the government officially denies.