Gov't says lives of Algeria kidnap victims 'top priority'

Lets hope they get out okay and Japan doesn't just pay up.

Are these Arab Spring Islamists supposed to be on our team?

If Japan has to pay $$, it will not be a first, but even if Japan pays, these terrorists want more than money, me thinks!

Paying ransom money only encourages them to do it again.

If Japan has to pay $$, it will not be a first, but even if Japan pays, these terrorists want more than money, me thinks!

I don't think these kidnappings were done for money. The article says they want certain prisoners in Algeria released. Unless you mean the Japanese government would pay Algeria to release the prisoners?

Paying ransom money only encourages them to do it again.

Japan doesn't know that and has done it many times in the past.

"First, act by putting priority on people’s lives; second, try to determine the situation; and third, boost cooperation with other countries involved,”

Should #2 and #1 be switched? How do you act with people's lives as the priority when you haven't tried to determine the situation?

Anyway, hope they all get out of there okay. Even if Algeria caves and releases the 100 prisoners I wonder if the kidnappers will live up to their end of the bargain. Maybe Abe should come back to Japan from Hanoi (his anti-China trip) and start dealing with other leaders to try and resolve the problem.

Top Priority? In a year the working group will Submit their report, politicians will muse this and action will have been taken by other countries in the previous 6 months negating the decision of Japan's quick witted decision makers. Top Priority?

In other news Ireland, the United States, Norway, the UK and Japan believed their citizens were among the hostages . Two dead , a Briton and an Algerian.

I agree with smithinjapan and cricky .... but would also like to add, how many more things is Abe going to make top priority this year ?

So the Japanese economy is no longer the "top priority"?

http://money.cnn.com/2012/12/17/news/economy/japan-election-economy/index.html

These guys also want revenge for the French attacks going on in Mali.

Shame the Algerians have ignored everyones help and just blown the place up with helicopters.. idiots.