TOKYO

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has offered sympathies and condolences on the death of Japanese doctor Tetsu Nakamura, shot dead in Afghanistan on Wednesday.

"People of Afghanistan will always remember his services," Ghani said in a statement Wednesday, referring to Nakamura's contributions to developing water management and agriculture in the country.

"Acts of terror, barbarity and cruelty can never deter the determination of the Afghan people and their international partners to work for progress and prosperity in Afghanistan," the statement said.

The president has ordered related authorities to identify the attackers and bring them to justice, according to the statement.

The U.S. embassy in Kabul also offered condolences on Nakamura's death.

"The legacy of Nakamura lives on in the countless Afghans who benefited from his compassion, care and selfless dedication," the embassy said in a Twitter post Wednesday.

The embassy expressed its condolences also in Japanese.

Nakamura, 73, was engaged in humanitarian assistance work in Afghanistan, including medical care, irrigation construction and agriculture.

Nakamura’s family to leave for Afghanistan

Bereaved family members of Nakamura left the western Japan city of Fukuoka on Thursday evening for Kabul.

The body of Tetsu Nakamura, the 73-year-old doctor and representative in Afghanistan of humanitarian aid group Peshawar-kai, is being kept in the Afghan capital.

His wife, Naoko, 66, and their oldest daughter, Akiko, 39, accompanied by staff members of the Fukuoka-based aid group, will leave Tokyo International Airport at Haneda in the early hours of Friday for Afghanistan.

Nakamura's body is expected to be returned to Japan as early as Monday.

The Fukuoka prefectural police are likely to carry out an autopsy to determine the cause of his death.

Jiji Press