A senior Japanese official said Tuesday Tokyo did not pay ransom for the release of five hostages.

Speaking at a ruling party meeting, Senior Vice Foreign Minister Ichiro Aisawa said, "There is no such possibility at all"to buy the hostages' release, Kyodo News reported.

Aisawa was heading a task force in Amman in the abduction event.

He also said the three kidnapped on April 7 will be charged for about 6,000 US dollars in all for a chartered plane carrying them from Baghdad to Dubai.

The three, including one woman, were freed Thursday and returned to Japan Sunday. The other two were captured Wednesday and freed Friday. They arrived in Tokyo Tuesday.

Aisawa said the details about rescuing efforts would be unveiled at a proper time in consideration of security reasons.

In a lower house session, Aisawa also said the three and their families had paid for air travel from Dubai to Japan as well as hotel and medicine bills.

Source: Xinhua