Headlines
Japanese hostage executed by IS, PM says 'unforgivable act'
Tokyo, Jan 24
A video released by the Islamic
State (IS) militant group Saturday claimed one of the two Japanese
hostages held by it was beheaded, according to media reports. Japan's
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the possible execution, and called
it "an unforgivable act of violence".
The government said it was
verifying the video, which claimed that Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa
was executed by the IS, according to a BBC report.
Abe said after
a ministerial meeting that the killing was "an unforgivable act of
violence" and demanded the release of Kenji Goto, another Japanese held
hostage by the IS, according to a Xinhua report.
In the video, Goto's photo was posted along with an audio message saying Yukawa was killed.
Abe
said Japan will continue to work with the international community to
fight against terrorism and that Tokyo would never give in to terrorism.
He said the country was trying every channel to secure the other hostage's release.
He
also extended his condolence to Yukawa's kin, indicating that the
government considered the video to be highly reliable, according to
Japan's public broadcaster NHK, which the Xinhua report cited.
Japan's defence ministry was reported to be analysing the video.
On Tuesday, the IS threatened to kill Yukawa and Goto unless Japan paid $200 million within three days.
Last
week, Abe, at the beginning of his tour of the Middle East, announced
that Japan would be donating $200 million in non-military aid to
countries fighting the IS in order to help build human capacities and
infrastructure.
The IS claimed that the ransom amount was the
same as the financial aid pledged by Abe to countries affected by the
militant group.
The IS also said, in the video, they demanded the release of a female member imprisoned in Jordan, according to a local report.
The prisoner reportedly launched a suicide attack in Jordan in 2005 and killed about 50 people.