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Japan’s Abe ‘fighting against time’ seeking to free hostages

This file image taken from an online video released by the Islamic State group's al-Furqan media arm on Jan. 20, 2015, purports to show the group threatening to kill two Japanese hostages that the militants identify as Kenji Goto Jogo, left, and Haruna Yukawa, right, unless a $200 million ransom is paid within 72 hours. This file image taken from an online video released by the Islamic State group's al-Furqan media arm on Jan. 20, 2015, purports to show the group threatening to kill two Japanese hostages that the militants identify as Kenji Goto Jogo, left, and Haruna Yukawa, right, unless a $200 million ransom is paid within 72 hours.

By Associated Press January 21, 2015 1 min read

TOKYO (AP) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday that he was expending maximum efforts in a “tough fight against time” to free two hostages the Islamic State group is threatening to kill within 72 hours.

Abe returned to Tokyo from a Middle East tour and told reporters he was consulting with leaders in the region. He said he instructed officials to use all possible diplomatic channels to seek the hostages’ release.

Abe and other government officials have not said directly whether or not Japan was considering paying the $200 million in ransom being demanded for the captives, Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa.

Earlier, the government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, confirmed that Japan believed the threat to be authentic and emphasized that Japan’s aid to the region was not a threat to Muslims.