Japan PM rushes home to lead hostage crisis response

Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was rushing home from the Middle East on Wednesday to take charge of Tokyo’s response after Islamic militants threatened to kill two nationals unless he pays a USD 200 million ransom.
A defiant Abe vowed he would not bow to “terrorism” as Japan was thrust abruptly into the conflict gripping Syria and Iraq, where jihadists have seized control of large areas.

“The international community will not give in to terrorism and we have to make sure that we work together.”

The self-styled Islamic State group (IS) has murdered five Western hostages since August last year, but this is the first time the jihadist group has threatened Japanese captives.