Japanese journalist detained in Iraq’s KRG released

TOKYO (AA) – A Japanese journalist who was detained in Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) on suspicion of terrorist links last month has been released.

Kyodo news agency cited a senior Japanese foreign ministry official as saying that Kosuke Tsuneoka, 47, was turned over to the Japanese embassy Monday and is due to return home Tuesday evening.

The detention of Tsuneoka -- who had traveled to Iraq to cover fighting in the Daesh-held city of Mosul -- was revealed in late October.

"I was suspected of being an IS [Daesh] member for possessing an IS key holder that I obtained two years ago," he posted on his Twitter account.

He told Kyodo News via text message that the key holder had not been given to him by Daesh militants.