Abe says video claiming one hostage killed likely authentic

A visibly shaken Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said early Sunday that Japan was working to free two hostages held by the extremist Islamic State group, calling a new online video purporting to show that one had been killed “outrageous and unforgiveable.”

Probably ticked off because they didn't "listen" to him. As he runs off to the bathroom.....

Hoping the offer to exchange the woman in Jordan for Goto is authentic. RIP Yukawa.

While Yukawa did not deserve to die in this manner, he made the choice, and he had a death wish. It's rather foolish of Abe to think that by his words alone people are going to just jump up and follow.

Abe may be the leader of Japan, but he lacks leadership. A world leader shows poise and control when dealing with the press, showing his "emotions" like that just make groups like IS realize that they know how to push his buttons and get under his skin. They could give a crap about their demands, they just want the press.

"At a loss of words" -- and with no real ability to do anything. Abe and Kishida and Suga should have been careful before declaring so openly that Japan is pledging $200 million to fight ISIS. Terrorists use asymmetric means to wage war, and hostage taking and hostage killing are, tragically, pretty common. Abe did not kill Yukawa and he will not be responsible for Goto's death (if it happens) either. But his chicken hawk posture did not help the situation. We all need to get after ISIS, but we need to take steps to reduce the risk to our own citizens, too.

Devastating news for this poor mans family, heartfelt condolences.

ISIS, and ISIS alone are responsible for the death of these people.

Just imagine what their Islamic State will actually look like if they ever realise their objective. They will make the Taliban Afghanistan look like Disneyland.

Complete and utter madness.

"One militant on the Islamic State-affiliated website warned that Saturday’s new message was fake, while another said that the message was intended only to go to the Japanese journalist’s family. . . . A third militant on the website noted that the video was not issued by al-Furqan," - article

Which clever lad is going to step up and hack ISIS? A more fractured detailing of this monster brigade of lunatics is hard to imagine. No one is in the wheelhouse, this, clearly, is just a fractured band of gangsters bent on slaughter.

'A visibly shaken prime minister'

So this video he watched, had the same effect as a Southern Allstars song with a satirical jab at his policies?

It is fairly obvious that no money was paid-I wonder how much the life of a Japanese is worth? It seems it is not worth what Isis was demanding.....

They were abducted in October or November, far ahead of Abe pledging the money.

It is fairly obvious that no money was paid-I wonder how much the life of a Japanese is worth? It seems it is not worth what Isis was demanding.....

And what if Abe paid the $200 million? What then? Then Japanese citizens would be kidnapped right and left, to be ransomed for as much money as their captors could get. Paying the ransom would have made Japanese travelers less safe. Abe knows this quite clearly, paying the ransom is probably the only option which could not be considered, it would be fantastically foolish.

These two men went to Syria of their own free will. They read the travel advisories issued by their own government which recommended that travelers not go. The reporter, Gotoh, stated quite clearly on video that he would take personal responsibility for his own actions if anything were to happen to him. The other was a mentally-unstable buffoon, whom Abe and Japan have more or less ignored, even after knowing he had been abducted some months ago. If you're gonna be dumb, then you gotta be tough.

They should have payed the 200 million to rescue both Japanese citizens and then got the hell out of there and left the people of the region to fight amongst themselves. What ISIS or anyone is doing there has nothing to do with Japan at all. Stop pandering to America. You do realise ISIS will get 200 million a day from any of a thousand oil wells they command or from the myriad people and governments that support them. The will keep killing and fighting regardless. All Abe has done is appease America. Nothing else.

"outrageous and unforgivable"

I don't think IS cares if Abe forgives them.

Abe is an honorable and strong man. And with tears in my eyes I can only say that he did the right thing by not giving this diabolical, cruel and vile group any ransom money. I know it must be very hard to make such a decision but it was done for the goodness of all mankind and for that Abe will be my hero and forever in my thoughts. Is time now to be even stronger and more direct with these scums. We, of all good nations and people of good heart, must denounce them, their ugly flag and all that they are trying to do to peace, security, stability and domestic tranquility across the world. We must tell them their flag is the flag of darkness and it shall never hang upon the poles of our great lands. This group gets far too much media visual placement. It is time to counteract their presence on the news sites with digital videos of their flag burning and men, women and children on all nations and faiths tearing their ugly flag to pieces and throwing it into the flames. The tapestry of civilized nations is a beautiful tapestry woven with the fine threads of our cultures, faiths, and beiefs. There is no room on that tapestry for the coarse and ugly threads of Daesh or any of their supporters of sympathizers. Every day my family joins together in prayer and we always say Down with Daesh now and forever, Amen. And we say it with our hearts full of love for our country, our values, our faith and our civilized beauty. I am so very empathetic to the families of these hostages that have fallen into the web of Daesh. I think if it were my family I would demand that this group stop contacting me. I would know to expect the worst from them. I wish great leaders out there would pass some type of emergency media edict that states that any visuals of this horrible groups antics should NOT be plastered all over the news sites and the people should not be forced to view them at all without consent. Therefore, a disclaimer should be required before all visual pics or videos are shown. I am personally fed up with being forced to see their ugliness on news sites. I should have the right to opt out of seeing any of it and it should only be in my face if I choose to click on the llink to open. That is fair. And it still protects these exploitative journalists right to publish what they want. That would be a good thing to do for society and I would be grateful. Love to all who denounce this group, their flag, their dark hearts and evil ways. Curse their darkness and embrace the joys and beauties of your lands and homes.

Abe may be the leader of Japan, but he lacks leadership. A world leader shows poise and control when dealing with the press, showing his "emotions" like that just make groups like IS realize that they know how to push his buttons and get under his skin.

Why is revealing emotion a sign of poor leadership? I'd be much less impressed with a cold, psychopathic approach. I'd wager that the Abe's willingness to show his feelings will be a greater comfort to the slain man's family than so-called 'poise.'

They [ISIS] could give a crap about their demands, they just want the press.

Absolutely. If all these executions had been handled without the press, and websites refused to post the videos, the desired impact would be thwarted. ISIS is manipulating the West. Why don't they respond with manipulations of their own?

Almost all of the people I've spoken to wants a Japan which doesn't involve itself in vicious bloodbaths on the other side of the world involving religious lunatics.

That's no surprise. That's the true cool Japan--don't get involved. Shoganai.

"A visibly shaken Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said early Sunday that Japan was working to free two hostages held by the extremist Islamic State group, calling a new online video purporting to show that one had been killed “outrageous and unforgiveable.”"

You reap what you sow, Abe. Japan and the rest of the world have absolutely every right to be disgusted and appalled by what IS has done and is doing, but you don't go putting oil on the file and expect not to get burned. Abe has put all of Japan at risk through his statements and pledges to join the war (be it directly or through aid, and he himself promised aid to nations "fighting IS"). So, this is on him, and IS has made him look like a tremendous fool.

It is fairly obvious that no money was paid-I wonder how much the life of a Japanese is worth?

They should have payed the 200 million to rescue both Japanese citizens and then got the hell out of there and left the people of the region to fight amongst themselves

if Japan had paid the money, the true cost would be in the number of people died by being killed with weapons financed from that money. And I guarantee that it would be a lot more than just two. Are you guys thinking that Japanese lives inherently hold more value than others?

And what about the increased risk of kidnapping of Japanese people all over the world by those who know that Japan would pay out in such a situation? Are the lives of these two worth that increased risk to all Japanese travellers?

And what if Abe paid the $200 million? What then? Then Japanese citizens would be kidnapped right and left, to be ransomed for as much money as their captors could get. Paying the ransom would have made Japanese travelers less safe. Abe knows this quite clearly, paying the ransom is probably the only option which could not be considered, it would be fantastically foolish.

I agree, but I think now sadly they will do the same to the other just out of pure spite and anger. I hope not, but these guys are all about shock and horror. Just sick!

These two men went to Syria of their own free will. They read the travel advisories issued by their own government which recommended that travelers not go. The reporter, Gotoh, stated quite clearly on video that he would take personal responsibility for his own actions if anything were to happen to him. The other was a mentally-unstable buffoon, whom Abe and Japan have more or less ignored, even after knowing he had been abducted some months ago. If you're gonna be dumb, then you gotta be tough.

Exactly.

What is the point of this.... are they trying to rile up Japanese Nationalism.... which in turn might create more friction with S. Korea and China? What is their goal? If this news is true... then China, S. Korea, and Japan should put their differences aside and join Europe, and America and the other allies in fighting Islamist Extremists. If this is their way of forcing our hand to rid the Middle East of Jews... then they are sadly mistaken.

Something is not right. Those released videos seems to be fake... International mainstrem media is not considering it relevant or are trying to hide something...

They Would Still Kill Them Whether they were Paid the Ransom or not They were dead men When they Left Japan I am Sad to say. The only Language This lot of Terrorists understand is Fear and being sent to Allah as a martyr my original stance Was to bomb then out of existence using a Technique of carper bombing and declaring a financial war on their supporters via trade sanctions and freezing the countries overseas assets.

So even ISIS says the video is fake.

You should have read the article more closely instead of putting your own spin on it. ISIS is questioning the latest message claiming the hostage was killed. Militants on a website affiliated with the Islamic State group did not question the video's authenticity.

There is no faked video conspiracy in my opinion. ISIS has made these videos before and has killed the people featured in them before.

My condolences to Yuwaka's family and friends.

'Abe's involvement was welcomed by Everyone,'

Would that include the Japanese people who elected him? As far as I can tell, far from everyone in this country welcomes it.

Its Me:

" a 1/4 of the world population is Muslim. "

....and that figure is irrelevant. For one, thing, the number of followers does not make the problem go away, to the contrary. And also note that those often-quoted 1.5 billion followers do not have a choice in the matter, because islam does not allow apostecy. And that rule is enforced everywhere where Shariah applies. So in effect, the people who make the "1.5 million" argument are hiding behind hostages.

They should have payed the 200 million to rescue both Japanese citizens and then got the hell out of there and left the people of the region to fight amongst themselves.

I absolutely disagree with this. Strangerland is exactly right, 200 million buys a lot of ammunition and weapons to fund further killing and you simply cannot fund lunatics like ISIS by paying them not to behead hostages. They will kill scores of the local population with that money, and if they establish themselves as any semblance of a 'State', the potential security issues for that region are terrible. If they turn their eyes to Israel, you may just get World War 3.

I am sorry to say this, but these men, journalist and the 'adventurer' start to compromise a whole lot of people when they venture into this kind of madness. Sovereign countries should never bow to the ultimatums of Extremists.

Syria is a beautiful country with amazing history. I met many fine people there. It's a tragedy what is happening in that part of the world.

If this two guys were Jews Israelis would bomb the hell out of the IS by now.

If Yukawa is indeed dead, which seems most likely, he was done in by the terrorists ... but it was Abe's high-profile money-throwing trip through the volitile Middle East that created this immediate problem. As we saw on TV and in photos in newspapers, Abe was busy giving away money here, there and everywhere at each stop he made. As that was most probably our hard-earned tax money he was tossing about, that money also comes away rather bloody. ISIS saw his doings and wanted some of Japan's money for their own purposes. So as they conveniently had two Japanese hostages, they tried to sell them for $200 million. And zap ... a major problem for Japan. Overall, what a total screwup.

Abe loves getting favorable press coverage ... wonder how the press will cover up for him in this misguided mess?

Tamarama: "ISIS, and ISIS alone are responsible for the death of these people."

They are 100% responsible for the actions that killed these people, yes, but if you think the way the government pledged to fight IS has no bearing on the men's deaths, answer me this: would they be alive if Abe had made his speech and his pledge differently? Liarsnfools, who made the third comment on this thread, is absolutely correct and said it better than I did earlier:

""At a loss of words" -- and with no real ability to do anything. Abe and Kishida and Suga should have been careful before declaring so openly that Japan is pledging $200 million to fight ISIS.... his chicken hawk posture did not help the situation. We all need to get after ISIS, but we need to take steps to reduce the risk to our own citizens, too."

Abe and Co, as he said, did not kill Yukawa; but their actions gave the excuse these terrorists needed to do so. I pray that Goto comes out of this unscathed, though as I and pretty much everyone else has said he is likely already dead as well, and I just hope now that we don't find out Japan tried to pay the ransom and this was the outcome anyway. The pledges made by Abe and Co have already now put Japan directly in the war on terror; we don't need to know he also tried to give in to the terrorists as well. Abe has jumped into a pool head first without knowing if there's even any water. In a way it is good that he is speechless, because he seriously needs to think carefully about what he says and does next.

Readers, please do not use this thread as an excuse to post your usual anti-Abe rants.

i'm so sad for yukawa and his family .

that IS will pay for this i'm sure all the world now got enought of that savage crimes .. it's time to finish that terrorist bastards ...

ISIS dont give two F what anybody thinks of them, if hostages arnt worth anything to them theyll slaughter them. still doesnt mean theyll stop abducting people. the publicity is priceless to them. for every $ that somebody pays to these scum its worth 10 times to ISIS in terms of people murdered and territory gained. money will be better spent bombing there murderers into oblivion. 2000lb JDAM style!!

Moderator, please do not use this thread as an excuse to curtail the public's freedom of speech , just because we refuse to fall in line with your Abe friendly, compliant site.

Moderator: The rules of the discussion board decide what posts are acceptable, not your concept of freedom of speech. The rules state quite clearly that moderating decisions are final.

The writer of this article doesn't translate correctly "Gongo-Dodan", which Abe actually said in his interview. In the article,"Gongo-Dodan" is wrongly translated as "I am left speechless." But "Gongo-Dodan" actually means "The act (of murder) is outrageous and unforgivable." The article describes Abe mistakingly as shocked and speechless. What a poor job of translation.

Interesting how commenters blame Abe and his colleagues. In a hostage/ransom situation like this where a government is blackmailed there is no good solution for any government, not just Japan. The U.S., UK, Getmany, or any other country wouldn't give in to the terrorists either. And they shouldn't! It is very unfortunate what happened but the two men knew the risks they are getting into when traveling and working in that area. That IS is taking hostages and kills them was well known since a while.

Why is revealing emotion a sign of poor leadership? I'd be much less impressed with a cold, psychopathic approach. I'd wager that the Abe's willingness to show his feelings will be a greater comfort to the slain man's family than so-called 'poise.'

Look at who is is talking to, his message was to IS. He portrays himself as being emotional and will be looked as an unstable man who is motivated by whims and said emotions. THAT is not good for any world leader.

There is a time and place for showing emotions, and as the leader of this country who should be doing a better job and leave the theatrics for another day.

If he wishes to "comfort" the family of the slain, show leadership and go visit them and show his respects privately, not on TVthat is seen worldwide.

$200million buy around 7-8000, 2000lb JDAMs. money much better spent to bomb ISIS into oblivion.

Bit too much BF4?

JDAM is NOT a bomb itself put a guidance system attached to otherwise unguided Bombs.

Cruel as it may sound, this is not a GOJ issue, but rather individual choice, 42-year-old adventurer got the thrill of his life short as it was, he went looking for it. The government of Japan had no choice in the matter. Now if this was an attack on the country of Japan well that changes things.

The story comes from AP. It is their translation.

The point is though, this guy was a kind of mercenary that went there looking for trouble (and found it). The other guy is a journalist that there to help this guy. The fact is, both of these Japanese went there looking for trouble. They got their wish!

Relying on a report of an unconfirmed photo of a photo.

I hope those who are planning to take a pleasure cruise over to Syria finally realize that ISIS isn't playin'. They are dangerous and ruthless and have absolutely no regard for any human life regardless of race or nationality. If you have no business in that area, then STAY OUT! end of story!

They are 100% responsible for the actions that killed these people, yes, but

If they are 100% responsible for the actions that killed these people, and they are, then everything after and including your 'but' are counter to the argument that ISIS is 100% responsible. Again, you are also ignoring the fact that the two were kidnapped months ago. Abe's statements have nothing to do with this situation. You are falling for ISIS's attempt to make it seem that way, though.

ISIS/ISIL know our weak spot we value our families, our way of life, our tolerance, our frailty. ISIS have road roughshod over everything we hold dear. Politics goes out the window left or right, Kenji Goto could be any member of any family, of any nation, in any culture.

Japan Today: News and Censorship

Yukawa was a deranged fool who anyone with any sense of decency would have found pity on. As for Goto, anyone with any sort of value would have seen his sacrifice as a noble at worse.

Goto did what many would never do or have done.he cared so much for another human being that he was willing to forsake his own life to try and save, even though that person didn't want it. Goto in my humble book is a hero with great value. If anyone deserves to be saved it is he!

Of course, all human life deserve a chance (well to a degree) but not all human life are worth saving. Sometimes it would be best for parents to have spilled their joy on the ground than to have had a chance to become human beings. Karl Marx, Stalin, Mao, Lenin, Franco, Pinochet and are just a few candidates that should have fallen on the ground.

I just hope that Goto is given the chance to show his worth. But knowing how little those fanatics regard honor and loyalty I give his sacrifice little chance.

I just with that this world would have a few more Goto's in it and because if it did it would be a better one.

Before I forget, this is for those Liberals that try and defend the actions of ISIS and other barbaric groups like theirs. To those Liberals I say to you, why not have more compassion for their victims rather than trying to defend your allies! You can't treat an savage with compassion, they see compassion as a weakness.

Time for the West to wake up and start treating the terrorists families who live in the West and who are on welfare with the same compassion the terrorist show their victims! Chop chop chop........

Hoping the offer to exchange the woman in Jordan for Goto is authentic. RIP Yukawa.

Let's see, free a woman who with her husband took part in a suicide bombing that killed 38 people at a wedding party. She didn't die because her belt failed to detonate. She would have killed many more on top of that. This is not any Jordanian woman we are talking about here.

Before I forget, this is for those Liberals that try and defend the actions of ISIS and other barbaric groups like theirs.

And which liberals would that be? Can't say I've seen anyone here defending the actions of ISIS.

This may seem cold to say this, but Japan has to realize that it is part of the international community, and not just for the 'good stuff', like getting the Olympics or a Nobel prize. It seems that whenever something bad happens to Japanese abroad, the reaction at home is one of disbelief that a 'peace loving nation such as us' could be a target of blah blah blah. Many times, Japanese put themselves in situations due to their naivety, operating in a cultural bubble they take abroad regardless of reality. I advise students who go abroad. Sadly I advise them to err of the side of the negative. Someone, somewhere may want to take you down. These two men put themselves in a situation where the could be a target. Did they, and does Japan, honestly believe their nationality would matter to the thugs of ISIS? Naive and doomed. Any compromise to ISIS gives in to their terrorism and would make any Japanese a target. Very sad at the senseless loss of individual lives. Very sad that collectively Japan and Japanese do not see the bigger picture, no matter how distressing. Good or bad you are part of a larger world.

The pixilated photo itself was possibly as edited as the recent video.

Once you are in the hands of these brutes--ISIS, there's no coming back!

'Before I forget, this is for those Liberals that try and defend the actions of ISIS and other barbaric groups like theirs. To those Liberals I say to you, why not have more compassion for their victims rather than trying to defend your allies! You can't treat an savage with compassion, they see compassion as a weakness.'

Where are these liberals? I can't see any. Are they under the bed with the reds?

I'm not surprised to see people blaming Abe here on Japan Today.

ISIS is 100% responsible for what happened. But you want to stand against Abe regardless of what. One thing I want to point out, you are just like ISIS. Your hate feeling stops yourself to think. You think hating Abe gives you 100% moral advantage. That's exactly the same mindset as ISIS.

And we Japanese don't care at all for those extremists, regardless of if they are ISIS or Abe haters.

All Abe has done is appease America.

I don't understand how Abe's actions "appeased" America. Regardless or whether he paid or didn't pay the ransom, his actions wouldn't affect America's interests. However, his paying the ransom would have put other Japanese at risk and, obviously, not paying the ransom may have contributed to the murder of the Japanese hostage. Seems the "appease America" comment, IMHO, was simply an attempt to "blame the US" for the hostage's death.

and Abe declines ISIS new demand to release an arrested ISIS woman so that to have Goto stay alive. Most Japanese would agree with his decision.

naive? really.

My feeling is that's what ISIS is looking at, destroying moral standard. They are intentionally challenging humanity by doing extreme brutality. Their extremist faith or political agenda needs to attack all good things. I don't know why and I don't mean to even understand. But we stay where we are, we don't go as low as where they are because that's what they want to achieve.

If the goal of the terrorist is to sow discord among the leadership that they see as the enemy then this murder has been a success. Sadly, this is not do so much to Abe but rather with how the greater population act and thinks about the issue. As long as the Japanese people keep thinking that they can be left alone and that radical Islamic terrorism is not their problem the more they are going to find that the terrorist will target them and seek to use them as a means of obtaining the one thing that they really desire, legitimacy. The Japanese need to understand that they are in this war, whether they like it or not. Do they really think that the Islamist are not going to have an issue with their polytheistic, pork eating and skin showing culture? Not that those things are all of what Japan is about of course. To them, the Japanese are not even people of the Book. Japan needs to take a position of strength and stop all indications that is going to negotiate with IS

@jj10672ch

So according to you, disliking a prime minister, makes one akin to ISIS. ? Complete and utter rubbish.

Smith

Abe and Co, as he said, did not kill Yukawa; but their actions gave the excuse these terrorists needed to do so.

The pledges made by Abe and Co have already now put Japan directly in the war on terror; we don't need to know he also tried to give in to the terrorists as well.

Well, the mod has already called you on it, but this is rubbish.

Both men were kidnapped by ISIS months ago. Let me reiterate that for you - ISIS kidnapped two Japanese Nationals in August and October of last year. That is the trigger, Smith. Not what the Prime Minister has subsequently said and your judgement is clearly clouded by your agenda against Abe. Abe has effectively said and done the same thing as dozens of other world leaders.

Many times, Japanese put themselves in situations due to their naivety,

Please add the following....naivety and ignorance.

@tanarama .

"This wasn't his doing, the hostages were kidnapped months ago la la la!"

Users who support the PM fail to see the correlation between the proffered support money, and the subsequent demands (a day later) of the terrorists. It's no coincidence that the ransom money was the same as that offered to fight ... Oh sorry, support victims of IS. He was trying to play big on the world stage, now he has blood on his hands. I've read that many Japanese have a similar opinion, many Twitter users have suggested that Abe take the hostages(sic) place.

Folks who blame the Prime Minister for what the Religious Fanatics have done are living in a world filled with unicorns and dragons.

In the real world the folks who commit the crime are the ones to blame and not the victims!

But, most Liberals would rather blame the victims of crimes than the folks committing the crimes. To them criminals are the victims and the folks criminals hurt are to blame!

Liberal Left would rather hug a murderer than shed a tear for their victims.

Nice try JoeBigs , now begone, and back to 2 chan with you.

Part of the battlefield in asymmetrical warefare is going to be the court of public opinion. The fact is the Islamist are at war with the world. Their goal is to use terror as a means of gaining legitimacy, in this case the barbaric murder of a civilian. Their hopes is to put pressure on the target population so as to create political discord. They hope this weakens the actor into acting in a manner where they gain some objective, in this case the exchange of a woman suicide bomber whose explosive did not detonate. Abe and Japan should simply accept that two of their citizens have been murdered and seek to aid the fight against them in some way. Do not negotiate with terrorist.

Alistair

My question is this: Do you think that the hostages were ever going to be released after their capture?