Mr Satoshi Nakamura, 23, a sociology student travelling around Asia, was abducted on Monday by a bandit named Esmail Shahbakhsh, who is seeking to exchange the hostage for his arrested son, a security official has said.

Shahbakhsh's son 'belongs to a group of bandits and was recently arrested', he told the Fars news agency.

He added that Mr Nakamura 'is in good condition'.

A Japanese Foreign Ministry official said yesterday that Senior Vice-Foreign Minister Itsunori Onodera would be sent to Teheran to hold talks with Iranian officials over the abduction case.

Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said he had asked his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki for help.

'He said they have identified the whereabouts of the abductee and they will make efforts to resolve the issue,' he said.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda had said on Monday of the hostage: 'I want to bring him back. Saving his life is the top priority.'

The student was abducted as he was leaving his hotel in Bam in the south-eastern province of Kerman and was heading for the city's ancient citadel, a tourist attraction devastated by a 2003 earthquake, state news agency Irna reported.

Fars quoted the security official as saying that the kidnappers had moved the student to the neighbouring province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

Iranian police said Mr Shahbakhsh's gang had abducted two Belgian tourists in August. They were freed later.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS