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Japan seeks PNA information on hostages

RAMALLAH, Jan 20 (KUNA) -- Visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said here on Tuesday that he had asked for information from the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on two Japanese hostages taken by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
An online video was released Tuesday showing members of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) threatening to kill two Japanese hostages within 72 hours.
The video showed a masked militant, dressed in black, with two hostages, identified as Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto Jogo.
The militant said the two hostages will be killed unless the Japanese government pays a USD 200 million ransom in the next 72 hours.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas following a meeting in Ramallah today, Abe said his country was seeking information in this regard in order to save the two Japanese hostages.
Abe added that Tokyo would have contacts and coordination with Palestine and other countries in the region in this context.
For his part, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas vowed to help Japan secure a safe release of its hostages.
On peace talks with Israel, Abbas said the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) commits itself to the peace process and is ready to return to the negotiation table according to relevant UN resolutions. (end) nq.mt