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Japan Seeks Verification Of Hostage-Death Video Japan Seeks to Verify Video of Hostage Death
(26 minutes later)
TOKYO — The Japanese government expressed outrage at an image released Saturday that purported to show the decapitated body of one of two Japanese hostages captured by Islamic State militants, but the chief government spokesman did not confirm the authenticity of the video. TOKYO — The Japanese government expressed outrage at an image released Saturday that purported to show the decapitated body of one of two Japanese hostages captured by Islamic State militants, but the chief government spokesman did not confirm the authenticty of the video.
The kidnappers had threatened to kill the men if a Friday deadline passed for a $200 million ransom from Japan. The kidnappers had threatened to kill the men if a Friday deadline had passed for a $200 million ransom from Japan.
According to SITE Intelligence, an organization that tracks jihadist propaganda, the image was shown in a video posted on Islamic State-linked Twitter accounts. Al Furqan, an ISIS-linked website that has posted videos of beheadings in the past, had not released any video or message confirming the killing by midday Saturday. According to SITE Intelligence, an organization that tracks jihadist propaganda, the image was shown in a video posted on Islamic State-linked Twitter accounts. Al Furqan, an ISIS-linked website that has posted videos of beheadings in the past, had not released any video or message confirming the killing by mid-day Saturday.
An audio that accompanied the video said the dead hostage was Haruna Yukawa, 42, who has been described as an adventurer. The other hostage, Kenji Goto, 47, a journalist, appeared to be alive in the video. The two men’s fate became a fixation in Japan and a major challenge for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. If the reports of the death prove to be true, Mr. Yukawa would be the first Japanese to be killed by the Islamic State, which has established a self-proclaimed caliphate that is financed partly by extortion and kidnapping of foreigners. An audio clip that accompanied the video said the dead hostage was Haruna Yukawa, 42, who has been described as an adventurer. The other hostage, Kenji Goto, 47, a journalist, appeared to be alive in the video.
The group has beheaded two Americans and two Britons in recent months, and it showcased the killings via Internet video postings. “This action is an unforgivable act of violence that leaves us at a loss for words, and we condemn it,” the Japanese government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said at a hastily arranged midnight press conference. “We strongly urge that the remaining hostage, Mr. Goto, not be harmed and be immediately released.”
The two men’s fate has become a fixation in Japan and a major challenge for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. A grim-faced Mr. Abe returned to the prime minister’s office in the middle of the night to oversee this latest twist to the hostage crisis, which began Tuesday when a video appeared online showing the two hostages kneeling as a knife-wielding militant threatened to kill them.
If the reports of Mr. Yukawa’s death prove to be true, he would be the first Japanese person to be killed by the Islamic State, which has established a self-proclaimed caliphate that is financed partly by extortion and kidnapping of foreigners.
The group has beheaded two Americans and two Britons in recent months and showcased the killings via Internet video postings.
News of the reported execution came after Mr. Goto’s mother, Junko Ishido, issued a tearful plea at a Tokyo news conference Friday to the kidnappers, beseeching them to spare his life and asserting that he was not an enemy of Islam.News of the reported execution came after Mr. Goto’s mother, Junko Ishido, issued a tearful plea at a Tokyo news conference Friday to the kidnappers, beseeching them to spare his life and asserting that he was not an enemy of Islam.
As the deadline passed Friday afternoon in Tokyo, with no immediate word on the fate of the hostages, the Japanese government said it was still trying to contact the kidnappers and confirm whether the men were alive. As the deadline on Friday afternoon Tokyo time passed, with no immediate word on the fate of the hostages, the Japanese government said it was still trying to contact the kidnappers and confirm whether the men were alive.
Japan paid to free kidnapped citizens at least once before, in 1999, spending $3 million to secure the release of four mining experts held in Kyrgyzstan. Japan paid to free kidnapped citizens in at least one previous case, in 1999, spending $3 million to secure the release of four mining experts held in Kyrgyzstan.
Japanese officials never specified whether they were willing to pay any ransom to the Islamic State.Japanese officials never specified whether they were willing to pay any ransom to the Islamic State.