11.   Putin expressed his willingness to help Japan resolve several alleged kidnappings of Japanese nationals by North Korean spies.

12.   A Japanese national was arrested for allegedly scalping a ticket to the World Cup final match outside the Yokohama International Stadium hours before the kickoff Sunday, police said.

13.   A judge declared a mistrial Wednesday in the double murder trial of a Japanese national after the defense complained prosecutors were using race to exclude potential jurors.

14.   After reinstating her Olympic eligibility this season, Ito competed only at the Japanese nationals, winning them.

15.   Andrew will be made a Japanese national retroactively to birth, Justice Ministry official Kozo Tamura said.

16.   Arata, a Japanese national, urged Japan to see the need for combating the threat of TB as a matter of national interest.

17.   At first, Lebanon said the suspects included Japanese nationals suspected of being Red Army members.

18.   At one point they even announced there were no Japanese nationals in custody.

19.   Both men are Japanese nationals.

20.   But as television reported on government directives for the few Japanese nationals still in Iraq to get out, commentators wondered aloud whether the U.S. action was really needed.