Akihiko Saito
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- 1st Airborne Brigade paratrooper, JGSDF (Former)
- 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment soldier, French Foreign Legion, French Army (Former)
- Hart Security Ltd. Security contractor
Akihiko Saito | |
|---|---|
 Akihiko Saito in the mid 1980s when he was with the French Foreign Legion's 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment. | |
| Born | January 5, 1961 Japan |
| Died | May 9, 2005 (aged 44) |
| Cause of death | Gunshot wounds sustained in a Jaish Ansar al-Sunna-planned ambush |
| Occupations |
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| Relatives | Hironobu Saito (brother) |
Akihiko Saito (斎藤昭彦, Saitō Akihiko; January 5, 1961 – May 9, 2005) was a Japanese security specialist adviser who was captured by the Jaish Ansar al-Sunna in Iraq in 2005.[1]
Saito's abduction and subsequent death came as a shock to the Japanese public who were surprised to find out that a former member of the Japanese Self-Defence Force was operating as a private security officer in Iraq.[2]
Prior to entering the French Foreign Legion, Akihiko served in the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) in the 1st Airborne Brigade in 1979[3][4][5] before he left in 1981.[6] Akihiko was subsequently recruited into the ranks of the French Foreign Legion in June 1983,[7] serving for 20 years.[8] When he left the Legion, his rank was Chief Adjutant (French: Adjudant-Chef).[9] Saito was notably deployed with the French Foreign Legion's 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, serving in numerous combat operations in Africa.[7] During his time with the Legion, he was based at Calvi/Corsica.[5]