TOKYO, August 26, SPA -- A Japanese aid worker has been kidnapped ineastern Afghanistan and a report says the Taliban hasclaimed involvement. The Foreign Ministry says the Japanese aid worker wasabducted early Tuesday. Kyodo News agency said a Taliban spokesman in Kabul claimed the group was involved, but it offered no immediate details. The Foreign Ministry said there was no ranson demand. Ithas established a task force at its embassy in Kabul toseek the release of Kazuya Ito, 31, from ShizuokaPrefecture, west of Tokyo. It said he had been kidnappednear the city of Jalalabad. Ito was an agriculture specialist with the Peshawar-kai,which runs clinics in the region, Kyodo reported. ThePeshawar-kai was not available for comment. The Foreign Ministry said Ito was the first Japanese to bekidnapped in Afghanistan, which has been rocked byincreasing violence in recent months.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/584964