Four foreigners — an American, Italian, Japanese and Singaporean — were reported missing in Indonesia after opening a language school, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Wednesday.
"Police do not know yet if they were kidnapped, are missing or on the road," said Kristiarto Legowo, adding that they were last known to have been in Surabaya, a major city on Java island, on Tuesday.
John C. Taylor, the public affairs officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, said in a statement that "we continue to work with Indonesian authorities to try to determine the whereabouts of a U.S. citizen who we are concerned about," but gave no more details.
In Japan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki was quoted as saying that Indonesian police had informed consular officials about the disappearance.
"I would refrain from making comments because of a lack of details and out of consideration that it could also affect human lives," Shiozaki told Kyodo News agency.
Legowo said the four worked for the Berlitz language school.