Missing Journalist Appears

A missing Japanese journalist suddenly appeared on website on Thursday. Freelance Junpei Yasuda, who were missed since last June, revealed in a video footage that he had been detained by Nusra Front, an Islamic extremist group loyal to Al Qaeda, sent best wishes to his family and criticized Japanese government. While the possibility of the kidnapping has been indicated on the web pages, Japanese media did not report much about Yasuda. Japanese government looks reluctant to take care of him.

Yasuda is one of the common freelances who have been involved in reports from the area of conflict in Middle East. After slaughter of Kenji Goto, captured by Islamic State, Yasuda had actively been making comment on the situation of Syria or its neighbors. In June 23^rd last year, he was missed after entering western Syria from Turkey, leaving his friend a message about his location. It is supposed that he was kidnapped by militia of Nusra Front that controlled the region.

According to the report of Asahi Shimbun, the person who uploaded the video was a Syrian journalist in Turkey and explained that Yasuda was alive in Idlib, located in northwestern Syria. The man received the video from a liaison between Nusra Front and the governments. Nusra Front demanded Japanese government a certain amount of ransom. Although a lot of people offered to be an agency of Japanese government for negotiation, Nusra Front rejected them as long as they were not official representatives of Japanese government.

What Japanese government did was analyzing the video. “Now, we are analyzing the contents of the footage. We are making efforts to collect information cooperating with Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” told Commissioner General of National Police Agency, Masahiko Kanetaka, in his press conference on Thursday. Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, revealed that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been conducting the issue consulting with his staffs.

In the case of murder of Goto, Abe was criticized on his handlings of the issue. Abe can be more serious in avoiding criticisms of the public over inability of controlling the situation than securing a life of Japanese citizen who willingly entered in conflicting area. Japanese government firmly maintains its attitude not giving in the demand of money from the kidnappers.

Yasuda’s families are worried about him. “Although I was not easy since he was missed, it will be harder than ever,” told Yasuda’s wife, Sachiko. It is important whether Japanese government has real and affective ability for making diplomatic maneuver.