TOKYO, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - The Japanese government is investigating an online video apparently showing an interrogation of a Japanese national seized by Syrian insurgents, Kyodo news reported Monday, citing a statement by the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki.
"We are examining the fact [of abduction] via different channels," the agency quoted the official as saying, adding that the Japanese Embassy in Syria has not received any ransom demands yet.
The first reports about the alleged capture of a Japanese citizen emerged Sunday night on the Twitter microblog @apobaker99. The post contained a link to a video published on YouTube showing an apparent Asian male lying on the ground interrogated in English by several people. Answering the questions on his nationality and occupation, the man calls himself Haruna Yukawa and says he is a "journalist, half doctor."
The video has since been deleted from YouTube. No terrorist group has yet to claim responsibility for the incident. However, a translated message from user @apobaker999 on the Twitter blog of @OmarJerbi said "A Japanese spy Haruna Yukawa was captured by ISIS [The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria] army and executed by God's Judgment."
Haruna Yukawa is the chief of Tokyo-based private military company PMC Japan. On videos posted on Facebook page and YouTube channel registered after his name, Yukawa is shown, allegedly in Aleppo, Syria, test firing a Kalashnikov assault rifle.
The Islamic State [IS] is a Sunni insurgent group fighting against government forces in Syria and Iraq. The IS managed to seize vast territories of Syria and Northern Iraq and declared an Islamic caliphate state there. Twitter accounts allegedly belonging to the group’s members frequently release videos and images showing executions and beheadings of its captives.
