Bodies of Japanese terror victims of Dhaka attack reach Tokyo

A Japanese government plane carrying the bodies of seven Japanese nationals killed at a restaurant in Dhaka has reached in Tokyo.

According to the state media NHK, the aircraft landed at Haneda Airport at around 5:50 am (Japan time) on Tuesday.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Hagiuda were at the airport to offer flowers and a silent prayer for the dead.

Bangladesh Ambassador Rabab Fatima also was present at the airport.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has pledged his government's best efforts to support the families of the victims. The government has called a cabinet meeting.

Abe strongly condemned the attack, calling it “self-centred and absolutely despicable”. He said the government should consider the feelings of the bereaved families and do everything it can to support them.

Abe stressed that Japan will never yield to terrorism, and said the country will strengthen cooperation with the international community in efforts to eradicate it.

He also said the government will step up measures to keep terrorists out of Japan and ensure the safety of Japanese citizens both inside and outside the country by gathering and analyzing information.

The Japanese government earlier sent a special plane following the Friday night’s attack in which 20 hostages were killed by gunmen who stormed the restaurant at the Gulshan diplomatic zone.

Two police officers were also killed.

Tamaoki Watanabe, who survived the attack with injuries, was also taken back with a plane equipped with medical facilities.