The United States is working closely with Japan to try to locate and rescue the three Japanese hostages held in Iraq, State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said at a news briefing on Friday.

"We are actively working with the Japanese and the Coalition Provisional Authority to see what we can do about locating and helping these hostages. It is a tragic situation," Ereli said.

"The secretary spoke with (Japanese) Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi yesterday. We remain in close touch with the government of Japan. I think that this is an issue that we are all very keenly and intently focused on, and we want to see resolved peacefully," Ereli said.

Masked militants have threatened to burn the three Japanese hostages alive unless the Japanese pulls its troops out of Iraq. However, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has vowed not to give in to their demand.

Japan has been a staunch US ally and dispatches some 550 Japanese soldiers to Iraq.

(Xinhua News  Agency  April 10, 2004)