イラクで日本人拘束

Though he is eighteen years old, he is a fluent speaker.
“DU weapons used in the Gulf War and Iraq War by USA forces causes long-lasting toxic effect like defoliants used in the Vietnam War. Civilians have suffered even after the war.“
When he was a second-year high school student, he took part in a study tour to Vietnam and he visited a hospital for the children suffered from the after-effect of defoliants. He was sorry that he could not do anything for these children. After this experience, he has taken interest in a peace issue.
He learned about depleted uranium weapons in February 2003.
“What can I do against the use of DU weapons?” wondered to himself.
As he met members of citizens’ groups against depleted uranium weapons in Tokyo or in Hiroshima, he realized keenly deep-rooted problems. In December 2003, he founded “Sapporo Project For No Depleted Uranium Weapons “ with lawyers and editors. This group publishes bulletins and gives lecture meetings. Mr.Imai himself has lectured at trade unions’ meetings or at high schools to appeal the abolition of depleted weapons.
He is so young that he sometimes comes in conflict with members, but he continues with his activity.
Graduated from high school in March, he has begun making a picture book to appeal to a wide range of readers. He left Japan for Baghdad on the 4th of April. Before his departure, he told that he felt uneasy at the frequent news of terrorism, and he added that even so, seeing what happened on the spot and listening to the local people were helpful to make his message more powerful.