Japanese Prime Minister: “IS’ violence is inexcusable”

At a press conference during his visit to Israel, the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe called for the release of his citizens who were captured by IS.

Jan 20, 2015, 12:12PM | Gal Cohen 

 

An Israeli police officer gestures as he holds a weapon near the scene of the attack on a Jerusalem synagogue Photo: Reuters

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for the “immediate release of the hostages” this morning.  Two Japanese citizens were captured by IS and they threatened to kill them in 72 hours if their request for 200 million dollars was not met.  

At a press conference in Jerusalem, the Japanese Prime Minister addressed the chilling tape that was released showing the two Japanese hostages on their knees and between them was a member of IS known as John the Jihadist with a knife.  “I demand that you do not hurt them,” Abe announced.

The Japanese Prime Minister declared that saving their lives is at the top of his priorities and called for the immediate release of the Japanese citizens, stressing that the terrorists’ actions are “inexcusable." 

The extremism of IS endangers the international community.  I condemn all terrorist actions and call upon the world to fight this phenomenon,” he added and said that he feels resentment and hatred toward the kidnappers.

In the video made by IS that was released this morning, John the Jihadist, who is known from previous videos, is seen with a knife in his hand and beside him, two Japanese men are on their knees.  According to him, if the terror organization does not receive 200 million dollars within 72 hours, they are going to kill the hostages.  

“Japanese Prime Minister, although you are more than 8,000 kilometers away from the Islamic State, you are a part of this crusade,” John the Jihadist stated in the new video.  “You contributed in your fear 100 million dollars to kill our women and children, and to destroy the houses of Muslims.  As such, the life of one of these hostages is worth 100 million dollars,” he continued.  

“In order to stop the spread of the Islamic State, you contributed 100 million dollars and as such, the life of this hostage is worth the same sum,” he threatened-and turned to the Japanese people, demanding that they put pressure on the government to pay within 72 hours or the two would be killed.  

According to the reports in Japan, the names of the hostages are Kenji Goto Jogo and Haruna Yukawa.  Yukawa, a private military contractor in his 40’s, was kidnapped in Syria in August.  It is unclear why he was traveling within Syria.  Goto is a journalist who traveled to Syria in order to report on the war.  

As far as Western intelligence knows, a British journalist named John Cantlie is also in the hands of the terrorist organization and has become something of a spokesman for the terror organization, alongside an American woman, age 26, whose name has not been published upon the request of the American authorities.  

The Anti-Terror Wing of the Japanese Foreign Ministry watched the video and the staff analyzed the threatening message.  They stated that it was credible.  The Japanese Foreign Ministry does not intend to give in to the terrorism: “Such a threat is unacceptable and we are outraged.”