(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed on Wednesday that the government will make utmost efforts to free two hostages held by Islamic State militants who threaten to kill them unless Japan pays a ransom of USD 200 million.
"This is a very tough race against time, but the government will take all possible measures in handling the crisis," Abe, who returned in the afternoon from a six-day Middle East tour ahead of schedule, told reporters.
He convened a Cabinet meeting on the hostage crisis after the arrival. "I have ordered the government to make maximum use of all diplomatic channels and routes that we have developed for the release of the two hostages," the premier said.
He also stressed that Japan would never give in to terrorism. "We will work with the international community to fight against the cowardice of terrorism," said Abe. According to the premier, leaders of the Middle East promised to do the best they can for the Japanese men's release.
An online video posted on Tuesday by extremists of the Islamic State showed the two Japanese men in orange jumpsuits kneeling on a rocky hillside with a black-clad militant standing between them. "You now have 72 hours to pressure your government into making a wise decision by paying the USD 200 million to save the lives of your citizens," the militant threatened to kill the captives, identified as Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto.
USD 200 million was the same amount that Abe pledged last weekend in Cairo to support efforts against the Islamic State militants, including assistance for refugees from Iraq and Syria.
Earlier in the day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Tokyo believes that the ransom deadline is around 2:50 p.m. (0550 GMT) Friday. Suga declined to comment whether the government would pay the ransom. Goto, 47, is a freelance journalist. He went missing in October shortly after posting on his Twitter account that he was in Syria.
Last August, Islamic State militant group abducted 42-year-old Yukawa, who was working as private military company operator. According to public broadcaster NHK, Goto's wife received an e-mail in December demanding a ransom for his release.
A government source told NHK that the sender of the e-mail, written in English, demanded nearly USD 17 million to be paid in foreign currency.
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