Hostage crisis reminds Japan it is a target: analysts

Hostage crisis reminds Japan it is a target: analysts

not necessarily, it's like (ill fated?) Malaysian Airlines flying over prohibited war-zone.

Japan should stick to the spirit of her peace constitution. Abe's right wing and restorative tendency proved its danger this time. Japan must do utmost efforts to improve relations with neighboring countries and continue to keep friendly relations with all the countries of the world indiscriminating they are pro American or anti American.

People like to imagine that Japan is just some far off, innocent, peaceful island nation that minds its own business, but this nation has long been involved in exploiting the lands and peoples of the world for its own economic prosperity or it would not have risen to be the world's 2nd largest economy at one time.

"Japanese people are unsure of what course of action should be taken"

Well, then, by all means, keep electing big brother Abe to take care of all these troublesome issues for you. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

And let's keep our hysterics compartmentalized--in this corner, a country like France with a huge disgruntled and marginalized population, many of whom are embracing radical fundamentalism. In our own little corner of Asia, apparently, it amounts to two guys who willingly entered a war-torn country that 99.9% of people wouldn't go if you paid them. Death wish, Bueller, anyone?

Will that stop the wise sages in Tokyo from milking this for all its worth ...

The Middle East <> ISIS.

The Middle East is convenient term to describe a number of countries in a certain location. Hopefully unsurprisingly, each of those countries are different.

The ISIS is a terrorist organisation.

“Japan has no choice but to vow fight against terrorism,” he said.

Not a choice, an obligation. How it does it is another story.

And I still don't understand how 2 hostages can cause a "crisis". Media waffle.

This crisis should be reminding Japan that, their prime minister a loudmouthed fool that thinks he can run his mouth off without consequences.

Rubbish. Japan has never been a target.

These blokes were captured because they are non-Muslim foreigners. The same would have happened if they were Estonians, South Africans or Brazilians.

Professor Takahashi made an interesting suggestion on Channel 6 this morning. It is that Japan to increase OAD financial assistance to Turkey and let Turkey negotiate with IS for the increased money. In that way Japan will not be criticized for paying money directly to IS to settle the issue. I suggest when the two returned to Japan, the Japanese government jail the two for causing troubles and damages because of their thoughtless deeds.

It’s sad to know that Japanese have the wrong perception of themselves after reading this, “Alaaeddin Al Zaim, who had worked with Goto in Syria previously, says he warned him not to enter the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa. ‘I tell him it's not safe for you,’ Al Zaim told CNN. But Goto chose to go anyway, saying, "I am not American, I am not British. I'm Japanese. I can go," Al Zaim recalled.” Now we know that Japanese people are no longer safe in the Middle-East. Don’t you feel mad that all of a sudden you are no longer considered to be peaceful people, so now Japanese government is trying to prevent this crisis from spiraling out of control.

Hostage crisis reminds Japan it is a target: analysts

Bogeyman economics: Growth through Fear™

So many good comments today. @warispeace and flowers

Being Japanese doesn't make you superior. You are part of the solution or part of the problem. That apathy is what will get you in trouble.

I don't want to say that Japanese are the only ones. There's plenty of apathy right here at home among foreigners in Japan.. That happened to him but it's not going to happen to me. With that said, I want the Japanese readers to know apathy is a very human trait.

What we are noticing in these kinds of situations is that Japan seems unwilling to be a part of the global community on quite a number of issues that cause people suffering. It was only recently that the Hague was signed.

This leads to speculation that even in a global economy, a world connected through computer networks, and rapid environment changes Japan doesn't want to step up and do it's part.

Until this nation embraces diversity in it's society starting from the supermarket all the way, Japan will never realize that the war on terrorism is a war they are involved in whether they like it or not.

They are targets because two silly men went to an ISIS region to hang out. That`s the only reason. Not a dime should be spent on them. Not taxpayers dime anyway.

t I agree Abe has big mouth. LDP members have big mouth. Hope Suga does not get heart attack or stroke.

Welcome to the big boy club. Must be doing something right if the child rapists in ISIS hate you.

Headline: Hostage crisis reminds Japan it is a target: analysts

It should read: Hostage crisis reminds Japan that, contrary to popular belief, it doesn't exist in some pacifist utopian bubble.

"Rubbish. Japan has never been a target.

These blokes were captured because they are non-Muslim foreigners. The same would have happened if they were Estonians, South Africans or Brazilians."

Well, said, Luca. I was thinking the same thing.

The world paying the price of globalism.

Thank Abe. If you deny it, thank yourself as well.

USN

It should read: Hostage crisis reminds Japan that, contrary to popular belief, it doesn't exist in some pacifist utopian bubble.

I think most got the hint when a) the guy who translated the Satanic Verses was killed, b) the kid who went sightseeing in Iraq was killed, etc, etc.

People here aren't that oblivious. Tell most people here you are going to Syria and meet with ISIS and watch their eyes widen.

But Tokyo cannot cave in and hand over the ransom money, said Teikyo’s Shikata—“At least not openly”.

WEAK JAPAN WEAK!

"“What Japan has to do is to stress the humanitarian nature of the aid money and to say it is to help refugees and people who are in great pain,” said Takahashi." - article

Here's where Abe was trying to offer humanitarian aid in the immediate area of the ISIS abattoir and as a result ISIS trots out human pawns in their game of fascism.

ISIS will continue to kill children and women, burying them alive to amuse their deranged followers. The purpose, to continue a terror campaign for profit.

Japan offered aid for the innocent victims, ISIS counters with beheadings.

It's time to wake-up, these are not people of any religion, they are heavily armed homicidal maniacs, their motives are profit from slaughter of the innocent. That's why the price tag on human life is irrelevant, ISIS is a cancer that's wants to be paid to continue to kill its victims. Madness, pure madness.

The important thing is not to take this incident out of proportion or get too emotional over it. Obviously there will be a knee-jerk anti-Islamic prejudice solidified in Japan because of this incident, but people must debate rationally on whether this would require Japan to expand its international responsibilities against terrorism

Abe san had better stick to his guns and don't give into ISIS. These two idiots should not have been over there anyways. If Abe san gives in even behind the scenes and secretly, he puts all Japanese in danger. Not only when they travel but here in Japan as well. It also makes me wonder if it puts foreigners that live here in Japan in danger as well. That is another subject.

The two hostages does it in their own free will to travel to that area. Now its the government woes and Japanese citizens were shocked to learn about them. Only a wise decision and strategic plans by the government can convince the so called ideologists can soften their hearts to release these captives.I pray that Prime Minster Abe will give his strong and will power as a leader to prove that not all wimps and demands can be achieved through threat and blackmailing and coercion. To the hostage-taker I will pray that Allah will forgive you .Humanity is destroyed because of power and greed.

The Islamists don't hate Japan because Japan is rich or because Japan is an ally of the US. Islamic terrorists have killed Russians, Chinese, Indonesians, Indians, Nigerians, Congolese, etc., etc, They even happily kill each other over differences of sect, or opinions on historical events.

They hate Japanese (and all the rest) because Japanese don't submit to Allah, because Japanese do not live under Sharia, because Japanese believe (to varying degrees) in tolerance, pluralism, fair treatment of women & minorities and individual liberty and, most of all, because the Islamists believe that it is the will of God that they hate and destroy infidels.

It is saddening to read repeated disregard for Goto and Yukawa. Goto returned to try to find his countryman, Yukawa. Goto spent two decades reporting on child victims of wars and conflict zones. These men are victims tortured by ISIS maniacs and will very likely suffer beheadings. Some sense of compassion is certainly missing.

IS have backed themselves into a corner where their credibility is also on the line. They have made the threat in public, and the trap is set.

Actually IS could release these two and triumphantly say that Japan has paid, even if they haven't. Or even say nothing at all, as par for the course. No-one would know who to believe and Japan with its track record would continue to be under suspicion in the world community. Nothing new.

Consider: ISIS requires fear. They must appear as almighty; their sentence of beheadings must be carried out to maintain their control of the local populations.

The money isn't important, terror is, it is their life's blood. Have no doubt, ISIS intends to kill these men. Showing reason, or worst compassion, is weakness for these kinds of psychopaths.

Japan, as a country of buddhists and polytheists, would be a target for ISIS anyway. It has only been relatively safe because of its geographical distance and low islamic population. That of course changes once Japanese polytheists wander into ISIS territory.

Japan, as a country of buddhists and polytheists, would be a target for ISIS anyway. It has only been relatively safe because of its geographical distance and low islamic population. That of course changes once Japanese polytheists wander into ISIS territory.

Agreed. While I don't believe direct target it is an eventual target nonetheless and the geographical distance DOES play a big factor in all of this, but Abe pledging aid money to combat radical Islamists sent light bulbs in these guys heads. Rest assured, this won't be the last time. They would go for ANY country that has enough money to pay handsomely for a ransom. They are extortionists, they completely are perverting the religion and going way off the rails with their twisted and literal interpretation of the religion. Throwing people from buildings for being gay, shooting kids for watching a soccer game? Beheading children and raping women, amputating people, cutting out tongues, this is beyond normal or rational reasoning. This has absolutely nothing to do with religion and everything about control, fear and power. These guys are hard up and desperate for cash, they have NO infrastructure, trash all over the place, No clean running water, difficult to get power, food, governing is as we all can see is just non-exsistent. So they will do whatever it takes to get money, extortion, kidnapping, arms sales, anything that can keep them going and committing murder, mutilation and torture on a horrific scale will keep everyone in complete line. What gets me is, these guys have everything that comes from the west or modern things, despise it to their inner core, but they wear Nike shoes, use radios, video cameras, Facebook and other social network platforms to spread their ideology, rather a bit contradictory, wouldn't you think?

kcjapan: "Japan offered aid for the innocent victims, ISIS counters with beheadings."

Not exactly. Abe offered non-military, financial backing to nations "battling IS" -- in other words, he is supporting war and conflict against them. Not the same thing at all as 'offering aid for the innocent victims', is it? Additional money is being pledged for humanitarian assistance, but he's still supporting war against IS, and therefore involving Japan IN said wars, despite Suga's later back-stepping and trying to make the purpose of the donations even more vague.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/abe-pledges-200-mil-to-countries-fighting-islamic-state/comments/popular/id/5039252

"It is saddening to read repeated disregard for Goto and Yukawa. Goto returned to try to find his countryman, Yukawa."

I have no doubt there is not a soul who doesn't wish they come out of this alive and fine, but the bottom line is they were both very stupid to do what they were doing and go where they went, and now as a result of their actions the entire nation is being targeted and in the very near future could suffer much more serious terrorist attacks, not to mention how this has hurt the nation economically. They do not deserve at all what IS is doing and may do to them yet, but they don't deserve any sympathy at all for going to do what they went to do.

At the moment Japan is not a target. Those poor souls went to Syria and were caught by people who are thieves and murders. They are not here yet. They will be if Japan gets involved in the mess the U.S. made.

"Those poor souls went to Syria and were caught by people who are thieves and murders. They are not here yet. They will be if Japan gets involved in the mess the U.S. made."

Oh yeah, as if the U.S. made all this mess, lol.

this nation has long been involved in exploiting the lands and peoples of the world for its own economic prosperity or it would not have risen to be the world's 2nd largest economy

What a load of poppycock. Tell me again how Japan exploited Syria? I'm sure ISIS is looking for volunteers, if you are interested.

Being a remote island does not mean being a target.

Hostage crisis reminds Japan it is a target

Poppycock. Any non-Sunni wandering into IS territory is a target. Japan is no more a target than, say, Cuba.

I don't understand. Japan has been a target for a long time. Just that Japan isn't a hot target as the West. Don't you remember the attempted bombing of a JAL flight? Only one Japanese was killed because the terrorist had an old seating plan and the bomb was a couple seats from where it needed to be to bring down the airliner.

I feel sorry for the two and Goto is a Christian, more reason not to be there. First rule of rescue, don't try if it will get the rescuer killed or needing rescue. It only puts more lives at risk. I read somewhere that Goto was warned no to go but he said that he was not European or American, he is Japanese. So it seems that he did not understand the environment he had been reporting on. As for Yukawa, I don't understand at all why he went there unless he want to finish the suicide attempt he committed in Japan.

In that region they have a saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend and the friend of my enemy is my enemy. Where do you think Japan lies?