Report: Islamic State Kidnaps Japanese National in Syria

The Islamic State (IS) reportedly captured Japanese national Haruna Yukawa in Syria, who some believe is the same Yukawa who serves as chief executive at the Japanese security firm PMC. 

The video and pictures alleging this are not yet verified. Japan said the country is investigating the video and that no group has claimed responsibility.

“This is an area where a various groups [sic] are carrying out battle. We are focusing on confirming if such capturing has really taken place, as well as the safety of the captured,” said a Japanese foreign ministry official.

Nobuo Kimoto, an advisor to PMC, said Yukawa traveled to Syria for work. A Facebook post by the firm shows Yukawa in Aleppo, a city IS wants to capture from Syrian rebels, testing some guns. Japanese media said Yukawa traveled with the Islamic Front (IF), a rival to IS. IF demanded Yukawa’s release, but IS did not respond.

IS jihadists on social media claim the group murdered a Japanese national.

Yakawa owns a YouTube channel. In the videos, he fires an AK-47 and captures people pulling the dead from wells. VERY GRAPHIC: