81.   But Japan has been reluctant to extend fresh aid to Pyongyang, citing suspected abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents.

82.   But Fujimori, born to Japanese immigrants to Peru, has secured Japanese citizenship and Tokyo says it cannot by law extradite a Japanese national.

83.   But in a still-unexplained about-face on Monday, Lebanese Interior Minister Michel Murr and Addoum denied that Lebanese authorities were holding any Japanese nationals.

84.   But Japan has been reluctant to follow suit amid a furore at home over allegations that Japanese nationals had been kidnapped to the North in the past.

85.   Bweiz later confirmed that several Japanese nationals had been taken into custody but declined to release further information.

86.   But in a still-unexplained about-face on Monday, Lebanese Interior Minister Michel Murr and Attorney General Adnan Addoum denied that Lebanese authorities were holding any Japanese nationals.

87.   But in an unexplained u-turn that came out of the blue, Addum and Interior Minister Michel Murr on Monday flatly denied any Japanese nationals were in custody.

88.   Fifteen Japanese nationals were late Wednesday escorted by French troops to Bangui airport prior to evacuation from the Central African Republic, the Japanese foreign ministry said Thursday.

89.   The other four Japanese nationals were identified as Haruo Wako, Mariko Yamamoto, Kazuo Hikodashi, and Masao Adachi, Addoum said.

90.   The spokesman said the new board members would all be Japanese nationals because the law prohibits the granting of a licence to broadcasters with foreign nationals as directors.