Story highlights Journalist says he was told he would be arrested if he didn't surrender passport

Japan says it has a duty to ensure the safety of its citizens abroad

ISIS has "warned it will try to kill more Japanese," government official says

Tokyo (CNN) After the deaths of two Japanese citizens at the hands of ISIS, Tokyo has stopped a journalist from traveling to Syria by confiscating his passport.

It's the first time the Japanese government has taken such a step. But the journalist, Yuichi Sugimoto, has suggested it's a breach of his rights.

"Ministry officials and police officers told me that unless I returned my passport, I would be arrested," he told Japanese television.

Sugimoto, a 58-year-old freelance photo journalist, said he challenged the officials over whether the confiscation conflicted with freedoms of expression, movement and the press.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry said its officials, accompanied by police officers, visited Sugimoto's home in the city of Niigata on Saturday night. They asked him to surrender his passport, citing a provision in the passport law that refers to the protection of citizens' lives in emergencies.

Read More