Release Japanese Hostages

It is less than twenty-four hours to the deadline that Islamic State had set for negotiation over releasing two Japanese hostages with request of $2 million for ransom. Even how it may follow Islamic lessons, it is inappropriate for them to blackmail the Japanese, because the Japanese are not enemies of Islamic people. The wisest choice for Islamic State is to release Japanese hostages and start building better relationship with Japan.

One of the hostages, Kenji Goto, is completely innocent. He has been a freelance journalist, mainly covering weaker people in warzone, such as women or children. His motivation to have gone into Islamic State territory several times a couple of years was to report about innocent people suffered from airstrikes by United States and its coalition. To reveal bad behavior of Islamic State was not his purpose to be there.

After coming back from Syria, he told his story to the students in Tokyo. He wrote books introducing photographs of young kids in Syria. In other words, he has been a speaker for Islamic people in Japan. Although he went into Islamic State to rescue another hostage, Haruna Yukawa, killing Goto is a great loss for Islamic community.

Yukawa went into Islamic State for his business, which dealt with security guard in conflicting area. He was not matured as a businessman, but was misunderstood as enemy, because he was travelling with rebel group of Syria. However, he had no intention to disturb the operation of Islamic State. His activity in the territory was not worth death penalty. Many people in Japan hope he will come back alive.

Islamic Scholar, Hassan Nakata Ko, on Thursday released a statement to request release of those two hostages. “I want you to wait while I explain Japanese government what Islamic State thinks and make new proposal. I hope you do nothing on the hostages when seventy-two hour moratorium expired. I am ready to reach you. I know you released 350 hostages for humanity purpose in Yazidi, Iraq, on 17^th of this month and I approve it. It improved impression of you. Releasing the Japanese will improve image of Islam and Islamic State and I hope so. Muslims also hope so,” told Nakata to Commander Umar in Islamic State, his friend in Islamic State and his acquaintances in his press conference in Tokyo on Thursday

Although Prime Minister Shinzo Abe innocently visited Israel and announced Japan’s pledge in Jerusalem, Japan is basically neutral in Middle Ease issue. The pledged money will not used for airstrike of United States Forces. Japan-U.S. alliance is not for one-sided support for Israel, but mainly for its own security in East Asia. Most Islamic nations may not have diplomatic relationship with Israel. But, Japan will not exacerbate relationship with Islamic nations, when they had relationship with North Korea, with which Japan does not have diplomatic relation. Killing Japanese hostage will be based on fundamental misunderstanding.