Japan’s prime minister has described the apparent killing of hostage Haruna Yukawa by ISIL militants as “outrageous” and “impermissable.” Shinzo Abe
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Japan’s prime minister has described the apparent killing of hostage Haruna Yukawa by ISIL militants as “outrageous” and “impermissable.”
Shinzo Abe says a recording and an image
of what appears to be the decapitated body of the Japanese captive were likely to be authentic.
“This an outrageous and unacceptable act and it gives me a strong sense of anger. We strongly condemn what has happened,” said Abe.
Abe is calling for a second hostage, Kenji Goto, to be freed.
“We ask for the remaining Japanese citizen, that no harm comes to him – and we ask that he is released as soon as possible.”
In the apparent recording, Goto says the militants would free him in exchange for the release of an Iraqi held in Jordan.
His captors have apparently dropped an earlier ransom demand.
Yukawa was seized in August after going to Syria. Goto, a veteran war correspondent, is said to have travelled to the same country two months later.