" A statement by the company maintained that "the investigation has no link to Madhu Koda's arrest.

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Koda was seen kneeling in front of three masked militants dressed in black and calling for help from Koizumi.

CNN: Japan: Hostage killed in Iraq

The U.S. military informed the Japanese Embassy of the discovery, and the government has been in touch with Koda's family.

CNN: Japan: Hostage killed in Iraq

Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hatsuhisa Takashima said a body matching the description of Koda was found by U.S. forces between Baghdad and Tikrit.

CNN: Japan: Hostage killed in Iraq

An Islamist Web site used by the group led by wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi had shown video of Koda shortly after the abduction.

CNN: Japan: Hostage killed in Iraq

At one point, Koda looked down, and one of the militants grabbed him by his hair to force him to look up at the camera.

CNN: Japan: Hostage killed in Iraq

Shosei Koda, 24, was taken hostage Tuesday, and his captors threatened to behead him unless Japan agreed to withdraw its military from Iraq within 48 hours.

CNN: Japan: Hostage killed in Iraq

An initial report by the Press Trust of India which was later corrected, cited the main reason for the investigation to be the link between the developer and associates of Madhu Koda, former chief minister of the state of Jharkhand, who was arrested Dec. 1 on corruption charges.

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