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| Islamic State video threatens lives of two Japanese hostages | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Islamic State has released a video threatening the lives of two Japanese hostages and demanding a $200m (£130m) ransom from their government. | Islamic State has released a video threatening the lives of two Japanese hostages and demanding a $200m (£130m) ransom from their government. |
| The 1min 40sec film entitled “A message to the government at the people of Japan” begins with footage in English from Japan’s public broadcaster giving details of a multimillion-dollar Middle Eastern aid package announced just a few days ago by the prime minister, Shinzo Abe. | The 1min 40sec film entitled “A message to the government at the people of Japan” begins with footage in English from Japan’s public broadcaster giving details of a multimillion-dollar Middle Eastern aid package announced just a few days ago by the prime minister, Shinzo Abe. |
| Standing between two kneeling hostages wearing orange jumpsuits and named on screen as Kenji Goto Jogo and Haruna Yukawa, a British-sounding militant dressed in the now-familiar black robe and mask and brown leather gun belt, demands that $100m be paid for the life of each hostage within three days. | Standing between two kneeling hostages wearing orange jumpsuits and named on screen as Kenji Goto Jogo and Haruna Yukawa, a British-sounding militant dressed in the now-familiar black robe and mask and brown leather gun belt, demands that $100m be paid for the life of each hostage within three days. |
| “To the prime minister of Japan, although you are 8,500km from the Islamic State, you willingly have volunteered to take part in this crusade,” he says. | “To the prime minister of Japan, although you are 8,500km from the Islamic State, you willingly have volunteered to take part in this crusade,” he says. |
| Standing on a hillside in a rocky desert, which appears to be similar to that of previous hostage footage, he continues: “You have proudly donated $100m to kill our women and children, to destroy the homes of the Muslims.” | Standing on a hillside in a rocky desert, which appears to be similar to that of previous hostage footage, he continues: “You have proudly donated $100m to kill our women and children, to destroy the homes of the Muslims.” |
| Gesturing with a knife to the man believed to be Goto, he says: “So the life of this Japanese citizen will cost you $100m.” | Gesturing with a knife to the man believed to be Goto, he says: “So the life of this Japanese citizen will cost you $100m.” |
| Pointing at the man named on screen as Yukawa he says it will cost the Japanese government another $100m to save him. | Pointing at the man named on screen as Yukawa he says it will cost the Japanese government another $100m to save him. |
| Speaking in Jerusalem during a week-long tour of the Middle East, Abe described the threat to kill the two hostages in 72 hours as unforgivable and demanded Isis immediately release the pair. He vowed to save the men, saying “their lives are the top priority”, but declined to say whether Japan would pay the ransom. | Speaking in Jerusalem during a week-long tour of the Middle East, Abe described the threat to kill the two hostages in 72 hours as unforgivable and demanded Isis immediately release the pair. He vowed to save the men, saying “their lives are the top priority”, but declined to say whether Japan would pay the ransom. |
| Yukawa and Goto are the first Japanese citizens to have been threatened with execution by Islamic State. | Yukawa and Goto are the first Japanese citizens to have been threatened with execution by Islamic State. |
| The two men were seized last year. Yukawa was captured by Isis fighters on 17 August near the town of Dabiq, north-east Syria. He is believed to have been with a Syrian opposition militia, Suqour al-Sham, at the time. Goto, meanwhile, was seized in October, after travelling to the Isis stronghold of Raqqa. Goto is a freelance journalist who runs a small media company, sourcing work from independent reporters. | The two men were seized last year. Yukawa was captured by Isis fighters on 17 August near the town of Dabiq, north-east Syria. He is believed to have been with a Syrian opposition militia, Suqour al-Sham, at the time. Goto, meanwhile, was seized in October, after travelling to the Isis stronghold of Raqqa. Goto is a freelance journalist who runs a small media company, sourcing work from independent reporters. |
| Yukawa, from Chiba prefecture near Tokyo, went to Syria to fight with rebels last year after a series of personal misfortunes. In the previous decade, his wife had died of cancer and he had been forced to sleep rough for a month after losing his home when his business went bankrupt. In 2013 he began spending time with Japanese far-right groups and attempted to reinvent himself as a security consultant. | Yukawa, from Chiba prefecture near Tokyo, went to Syria to fight with rebels last year after a series of personal misfortunes. In the previous decade, his wife had died of cancer and he had been forced to sleep rough for a month after losing his home when his business went bankrupt. In 2013 he began spending time with Japanese far-right groups and attempted to reinvent himself as a security consultant. |
| As the self-styled chief executive of Private Military Company, Yukawa declared himself ready to help Japanese multinationals with bases in dangerous parts of the world. There is no evidence that his company ever traded. | As the self-styled chief executive of Private Military Company, Yukawa declared himself ready to help Japanese multinationals with bases in dangerous parts of the world. There is no evidence that his company ever traded. |
| Pictures on his Facebook page show Yukawa in Iraq and Syria in July. One video on his page showed him holding a Kalashnikov assault rifle with the caption: “Syria war in Aleppo 2014.” | Pictures on his Facebook page show Yukawa in Iraq and Syria in July. One video on his page showed him holding a Kalashnikov assault rifle with the caption: “Syria war in Aleppo 2014.” |
| He once reportedly told family and friends that journeying to dangerous places, such as Syria and Somalia, represented his last chance to find personal contentment. “He felt his life had reached its limit,” his father, Shoichi, told Reuters last year after he was taken hostage. | He once reportedly told family and friends that journeying to dangerous places, such as Syria and Somalia, represented his last chance to find personal contentment. “He felt his life had reached its limit,” his father, Shoichi, told Reuters last year after he was taken hostage. |
| Yukawa was filmed by Isis after sustaining a leg injury during a gunfight 20 miles (30km) north of Aleppo. It appeared to show him lying on his back with blood pouring down his face. Asked if he was a soldier, he replied that he was “no soldier” and that he was “half journalist, half doctor”. | Yukawa was filmed by Isis after sustaining a leg injury during a gunfight 20 miles (30km) north of Aleppo. It appeared to show him lying on his back with blood pouring down his face. Asked if he was a soldier, he replied that he was “no soldier” and that he was “half journalist, half doctor”. |
| Goto, an author and journalist in his late 40s, has previously said he was driven by a desire to report from trouble spots on issues that were sometimes neglected by mainstream media. He has written books on Aids and the plight of children in war zones. | Goto, an author and journalist in his late 40s, has previously said he was driven by a desire to report from trouble spots on issues that were sometimes neglected by mainstream media. He has written books on Aids and the plight of children in war zones. |
| “I’m in Syria for reporting,” he told Associated Press in an email last October. “I hope I can convey the atmosphere from where I am and share it.” | “I’m in Syria for reporting,” he told Associated Press in an email last October. “I hope I can convey the atmosphere from where I am and share it.” |
| The pair are understood to have met up to travel back to the Middle East when Yukawa briefly returned to Japan in April. | The pair are understood to have met up to travel back to the Middle East when Yukawa briefly returned to Japan in April. |
| After Yukawa’s capture Goto told Reuters that, despite his bravado, Yukawa had a softer side that helped persuade Free Syrian Army rebels to allow him to accompany them. “Yukawa has this soft, non-threatening approach that makes people trust him and puts them at ease,” he said. | After Yukawa’s capture Goto told Reuters that, despite his bravado, Yukawa had a softer side that helped persuade Free Syrian Army rebels to allow him to accompany them. “Yukawa has this soft, non-threatening approach that makes people trust him and puts them at ease,” he said. |
| According to the Japanese broadcaster, NHK, Goto’s family raised the alarm with the foreign ministry after he failed to return from Syria as planned in October. | According to the Japanese broadcaster, NHK, Goto’s family raised the alarm with the foreign ministry after he failed to return from Syria as planned in October. |
| Both hostages are believed to be held in Raqqa, where all of the western reporters and aid workers captured so far have been taken. The jihadist group is thought to be holding two more hostages, whose identities have not been announced. | Both hostages are believed to be held in Raqqa, where all of the western reporters and aid workers captured so far have been taken. The jihadist group is thought to be holding two more hostages, whose identities have not been announced. |
| By seeking $200m for the captives’ release, Isis is believed to be sending a message that it does not intend to compromise on its 72-hour deadline. Spanish and French hostages were released in 2014 after much smaller ransoms were paid by Paris and Madrid. | By seeking $200m for the captives’ release, Isis is believed to be sending a message that it does not intend to compromise on its 72-hour deadline. Spanish and French hostages were released in 2014 after much smaller ransoms were paid by Paris and Madrid. |
| Japan has a mixed record on paying ransoms to hostage takers because, experts say, of constitutional constraints on its ability to use force to free Japanese nationals being held overseas. | Japan has a mixed record on paying ransoms to hostage takers because, experts say, of constitutional constraints on its ability to use force to free Japanese nationals being held overseas. |
| In 1977, the then Japanese prime minister, Takeo Fukuda, drew accusations of caving in to terrorists when he paid a $6m ransom to Red Army members who had hijacked a Japan Airlines flight en route from Tokyo to Paris, forcing it to land in Dhaka. | In 1977, the then Japanese prime minister, Takeo Fukuda, drew accusations of caving in to terrorists when he paid a $6m ransom to Red Army members who had hijacked a Japan Airlines flight en route from Tokyo to Paris, forcing it to land in Dhaka. |
| The threat on Tuesday came a few days after Abe pledged $200m in non-military assistance to countries fighting Isis. “Should we leave terrorism or weapons of mass destruction to spread in this region, the loss imparted upon the international community would be immeasurable,” he said last week. | The threat on Tuesday came a few days after Abe pledged $200m in non-military assistance to countries fighting Isis. “Should we leave terrorism or weapons of mass destruction to spread in this region, the loss imparted upon the international community would be immeasurable,” he said last week. |
| Japan’s top government spokesman told journalists soon after the news broke that Japan would not give in to threats from terrorists. | Japan’s top government spokesman told journalists soon after the news broke that Japan would not give in to threats from terrorists. |
| “Our country’s stance – contributing to the fight against terrorism without giving in – remains unchanged,” Yoshihide Suga told a news conference. | “Our country’s stance – contributing to the fight against terrorism without giving in – remains unchanged,” Yoshihide Suga told a news conference. |
| Abe will cut short part of his Middle East trip, but still held a summit with the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas. | Abe will cut short part of his Middle East trip, but still held a summit with the Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas. |