The hostage crisis that has ensnared journalist Kenji Goto prompted prayers in Japan for his safety as Tokyo rushed to seek a peaceful resolution to the situation ahead of the presumed Friday afternoon deadline.

Many said Goto, who is being held with private security contractor Haruna Yukawa, always cared about the lives of children in war zones and has done his best to help Japanese children in disaster-hit areas.

Goto has reported on ordinary citizens living in war-torn parts of Africa and the Middle East. He has always searched for a way to help those in need and aimed to share the experiences of the people he encountered in the several countries he visited.