Associates of Islamic State hostage Kenji Goto called for his release Wednesday, as another apparent deadline in the crisis loomed.
A recording that appeared on the Internet on Tuesday night showed a haggard-looking Goto in a still image accompanied by an audio recording. In the recording, a man who identifies himself as Goto said he would be executed within 24 hours unless Jordan releases Sajida al-Rishawi, an Iraqi woman on death row who was convicted over a failed 2005 suicide bombing in Amman.
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters Wednesday morning the government confirmed the video's existence at around 11 p.m. Tuesday Tokyo time.