MOSCOW, October 6 (RIA Novosti) - A group of Japanese men suspected of preparing to join the Islamic State (IS) in Syria are being questioned by Tokyo police, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported Monday.
The men have been accused of violating a penal code section which bans individuals from plotting to fight against a foreign country, according to NHK. One of the men reportedly told investigators of his plans to join the IS. The investigation is the first case of Japanese citizens attempting to join the IS.
To date, Japan, which has a small Muslim population, has remained uninvolved in conflicts concerning IS militants in Syria and Iraq, according to Japan Today.
Over the past few months, the IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL, has seized vast territories in Iraq and Syria, and has declared an Islamic caliphate on its captured territories. Some 50,000 militants are currently believed to be fighting for the IS, with many of the group's fighters being foreign nationals.
