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Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday that Japan is in close touch with Jordan’s government after a new video on social-media accounts linked to Islamic State demanded the release of a prisoner held in Jordan.

Mr. Abe said it was highly likely the video, which appeared to the severed head and corpse of a Japanese hostage, was genuine.

Appearing on Japanese public broadcaster NHK, Mr. Abe said he spoke Saturday with Jordan’s King Abdullah. “We have agreed to cooperate on issues including exchange of intelligence,” Mr. Abe said. “But I will decline to comment on how we will respond to the demand, since this is an ongoing matter.”

The video demanded that Japan pressure Jordan to release Sajida al-Rishawi, who faces death by hanging for her role in 2005 hotel bombings in Amman.

Mr. Abe said that the government was still analyzing the video and its authenticity, but he said the image of the corpse is likely that of Haruna Yukawa, one of two Japanese men held by Islamic State.

“Unfortunately at this point, regarding the analysis of the authenticity, we must say it is highly likely” that the decapitated man is Mr. Yukawa, he said.

Mr. Abe said Tokyo is working closely with other nations for the release of the other Japanese hostage, journalist Kenji Goto.

“We would like to request that Kenji Goto remain unharmed and that he be released immediately,” the prime minister said.

*Wall Street Journal