Japan will not pay a $200 million ransom for two of its citizens captured by the Islamic State, said PM Shinzo Abe.Tokyo has less than 24 hours left to respond to the jihadists’ threat to execute the Japanese nationals on Friday if the ransom is not paid.And at the WaPo:
Abe reiterated that he will stand by his country’s commitment not to pay ransoms while speaking on the phone with UK Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday, Kyodo news agency reported.
“The government is doing everything it can, and saving lives is the top priority,” said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga during a media conference in Tokyo on Thursday. However he added that the government had failed to contact the militants to negotiate the release....MORE
The subtle message behind a Japanese meme mocking the Islamic State
