No contact from Islamic State: Japan's top gov't spokesman

TOKYO, Jan 27 (KUNA) -- Japan admitted Tuesday there has been no contact from the Islamic State militant group, who is believed to hold Japanese hostage Kenji Goto, and reiterated it will continue coordinating with Jordan and other parties.
"I believe Mr. Goto is alive, and the government is making utmost efforts for an early release of the hostage. We are seeking cooperation from every available channel, such as the Jordanian government, related countries, religious groups and tribal chiefs," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference.
The online video posted on Jan. 24 showed a still image of freelance journalist Goto, 47, holding a picture of 42-year-old Haruna Yukawa's body. In an English audio message attached to the video, a man claiming to be the surviving hostage Goto said the militants killed Yukawa.
He also said the Islamic State is demanding the release of Sajida al-Rishawi in exchange for Goto, while dropping the ransom demand. Al-Rishawi, currently in prison in Jordan, is an Iraqi woman who was sent on an al-Qaida bombing mission to Amman in 2005, which killed at least 57 people.
In Amman on late Monday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yasuhide Nakayama, the head of Japan's hostage crisis task force in Jordan, told reporters that he hopes to work with authorities in the Middle Eastern country to recover both a Japanese and a Jordanian captive, according to Japan's public broadcaster NHK.
Nakayama made remarks as some in Jordan advocate exchanging Al-Rishawi for a Jordanian military pilot held captive since last month by the militant group, instead of Goto. Nakayama said Japan shares Jordan's goal of recovering the pilot as well, adding that he wants the two countries to cooperate closely until both Goto and the pilot return home. People at a rally in Amman on Monday called for putting the Jordanian captive's release ahead of Goto's.
Goto went missing in October shortly after posting on his Twitter account that he was in Syria. Last August, Islamic State militant group abducted Yukawa, who was working as private military company operator.
On Jan. 20, the Islamic State posted an online video showing the two Japanese hostages kneeling before a knife-wielding militant, who threatened to kill the captives unless Japan pays a ransom of USD 200 million within 72 hours. The ransom deadline expired on Friday.
The ransom demanded by the militants was the same amount of money as that Abe pledged on Jan. 17 in Cairo during his six-day trip to the Middle East, on promoting efforts against the Islamic State militants, including extending support to refugees from Iraq and Syria. (end) mk.tg