Abe outraged over 'despicable' hostage video
January 28, 2015
A voice on the video that apparently shows 47-year-old Kenji Goto at around 11 p.m. (1400 GMT) on Tuesday said that he would be killed unless Jordan frees would-be suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi from death row.
The voice also said that another IS captive, Jordanian pilot Muath al Kasaesbeh, has a shorter time to live than Goto. Kassasbeh was captured by IS on December 24 after his fighter jet crashed during a mission against the militant group in nothern Syria.
Abe 'appalled'
On Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe described the latest video as "despicable."
In remarks made at the beginning of a cabinet ministers' meeting, Abe said that he felt strong anger over the video and reiterated that Japan was calling on Jordan to cooperate for Goto's quick release.
"This was an utterly despicable act, and I am appalled," Abe told reporters. "While we are in an extremely severe situation ... I have instructed all ministers to work together for the early release of Mr. Kenji Goto."
Deputy foreign minister Yasuhide Nakayama told reporters in Amman that Japan and Jordan are working closely for the release of the hostages.
"Both countries are closely cooperating towards the return of each of them to their countries," Nakayama said.
The militants have reportedly already beheaded one Japanese hostage, Haruna Yukawa.
The IS militant group originally threatened last Tuesday to behead Yukawa and Goto unless they were paid a $200 million (178 million euros) ransom within 72 hours.
In Amman on Wednesday, 200 relatives of Jordanian pilot al Kasaesbeh demonstrated outside the prime minister's office chanting anti-government slogans and urging the government to meet IS' demands.
The jihadist group, which currently controls large areas in Iraq and Syria, has murdered five Western hostages since August last year.
ksb/bw (Reuters, AP, AFP)