Japan team withdraw from Middle East tournaments

[February 06, 2015]  (Reuters) - The killing of two Japanese nationals by Islamic State in Syria has prompted the Japanese Table Tennis Association to withdraw from tournaments in Kuwait and Qatar.

The JTTA had planned to send 33 competitors to the Kuwait and Qatar Open later this month, but withdrew on advice from the Japanese government for its citizens not to travel to the Middle East, Kyodo reported.

The Kuwait Open runs from Feb. 11-15, while the Qatar event in Doha is from Feb. 17-22. Both tournaments are part of the World Tour.

(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington; Editing by Patrick Johnston)

[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.