Japan's Algeria survivors, dead arrive in Tokyo

Emotional reunions away from the glare of publicity awaited those who made it out of the In Amenas complex alive, amid a renewed national sense of the perils of doing business in resource-rich, but unstable parts of the world.

A government-owned plane with its national flag livery touched down at Haneda Airport as a warm orange sun rose over Tokyo.

Airport officials used black umbrellas to shield those getting off the plane from the glare of cameras feeding blanket media coverage in a country baffled by what happened half a world away.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida stood alongside officials from engineering firm JGC, which employed — directly or indirectly — all Japanese caught up in the siege, bowing deeply after the coffins were brought out from the plane's cargo hold.

Three trailers, each carrying three coffins, lined up near the plane's tail as the assembled dignitaries laid on them bouquets of white flowers.

Tokyo has accounted for all ten men who had been out of contact since Islamist gunmen stormed the desert gas plant over a week ago. Japan's body count of 10 is the highest of any nation whose citizens were caught up in the crisis in the Sahara.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at a meeting of his senior ministers on Friday, said the nation was in mourning for those killed.

“It is with deepest grief we have learned that 10 Japanese nationals who worked on the frontlines of international business have become casualties,” he said.

Flags flew at half-mast at government buildings across Tokyo.

At the headquarters of JGC, mourners continued to pay respects in front of a makeshift altar. A steady stream of visitors dressed in black solemnly bowed to a Buddhist cenotaph, as they urged departed souls to find peace.

The firm's president, Koichi Kawana held a deep bow for several seconds when he appeared in front of Japan's assembled press corps.

“Our grief is heartbreaking,” he said, in remarks that were televised live nationwide.

“We have lost ten magnificent staff. Our task now is to push forward the engineering business of which we are all so proud and ensure absolutely the safety of our staff, the most valuable assets a company has.”

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