A video purporting to show the execution of Japanese journalist Kenji Goto by “IS” militants has been released.
Kenji Goto went to Syria in October, reportedly to secure the release of another Japanese man, Haruna Yukawa.
In the video, Goto is seen kneeling in an orange jumpsuit beside a black-uniformed, masked figure who addresses the Japanese government in British-accented English and wielding a knife. The speaker has been tentatively identified as “Jihadi John”, who has apparently appeared in other execution videos. The video cuts back and forth between two camera positions and care has been taken in recording the speaker. The video also contains carefully designed graphics.
Goto’s mother, Junko Ishido, read from a prepared statement from her home in Koganei, western Tokyo:
“Kenji has passed away. I am at a loss for words, facing such a regretful death. The only thing I can do now is to shed tears of deep sorrow…I strongly hope we can hand down Kenji’s wish of creating a society without war and saving children’s lives from war and poverty.”