Japanese officials early on Sunday condemned a new video showing the execution of one of its citizens held captive by the Islamic State group. They demanded the immediate release of another captive shown in the video.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the recording appeared to show captive Haruna Yukawa being killed, Reuters reported.
“This is an outrageous and unacceptable act,” Mr. Suga said during a brief television news conference. “We strongly demand the prompt release of the remaining Mr. Kenji Goto, without harm.”
Officials said Saturday that they were investigating the message sent by the Islamic extremists which claims that Mr. Yukawa, 42, has been killed and demands a prisoner exchange for Mr. Goto, 47, the Associated Press reported.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that the new message was “an outrageous and unforgivable act. We demand their immediate release.”
Kyodo News agency reported that the same video had been sent to the wife of one of the hostages.
On Tuesday the Islamic State militants threatened to behead the hostages within 72 hours unless it received a $200 million ransom.
Japanese authorities have been scrambling to secure the release of Mr. Goto, a journalist, and Mr. Yukawa, an adventurer interested in war, but the process has been more difficult with the absence of Japanese diplomats who left Syria as the civil war escalated, the Associated Press reported.
Japanese officials have not said whether they are considering paying the ransom and U.S. and British officials have advised Japan against paying.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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