Japan PM returns to Tokyo

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has canceled part of his trip in Southeast Asia, his first overseas trip since taking office, and will fly home early due to the hostage crisis in Algeria, a Japan official said on Friday.

"Agreement has been made with the Indonesian side so that events, after the summit meeting and a joint news conference, will be canceled," said Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato.

Tokyo also summoned the Algerian ambassador on Friday to demand answers on the desert hostage crisis.

Abe canceled his key policy speech and other events in Jakarta to return to Tokyo early on Saturday because at least a dozen Japanese people remains unaccounted for in the Algeria crisis.

Algerian forces stormed a desert gas complex on Thursday.

"The action of Algerian forces was regrettable," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, adding Japan had not been informed of the operation in advance.

Three Japanese workers from Japanese engineering firm JGC have been confirmed safe but 14 others remained unaccounted for, he said.

Reuters-AP-AFP