Here is a brief summary of the major events that have led up to the current hostage crisis involving Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto.
July 28: Haruna Yukawa, with the ambition of working as a private military contractor, returns to the Middle East.
Aug. 14: During a firefight between the Free Syrian Army and the extremist Islamic State group, Yukawa is kidnapped and a video of him being brutally interrogated is posted on the Internet.
Oct. 25: Freelance journalist Kenji Goto departs for Raqqa, Syria, reportedly to find Yukawa, whom he had befriended in the country in April.
Jan. 17: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe begins a six-day tour of the Middle East in which he pledges $200 million in aid to countries fighting the Islamic State group.
Jan. 20, 2:50 p.m.: The Islamic State group releases a ransom video featuring two men believed to be Goto and Yukawa. A masked man, apparently the same who appeared in the execution video of journalist James Foley, demands that Japan pay $200 million or they will both be killed.
Jan. 20, 11:30 p.m.: Abe calls the leaders of Jordan, Turkey and Egypt to help negotiate the hostages¡¯ release.
Jan. 21, 11:20 a.m.: Abe confirms that it is ¡°highly likely¡± the men in the video are Goto and Yukawa.
Jan. 23, 2:50 p.m.: The 72-hour deadline passes with no word from the Japanese government on whether they have paid the ransom.
Jan. 24: Goto¡¯s wife receives another email from the militants and informs the Japanese government.
Jan. 24, 5:35 p.m.: Abe speaks with the Jordanian government by telephone.
Jan. 24, 11:10 p.m.: A new video is posted featuring a still image of Goto holding up a picture of what appears to be Yukawa¡¯s decapitated body. The voice of a man claiming to be Goto demands that Sajida al-Rishawi, on death row in Jordan for a failed 2005 suicide bombing, be released in exchange for Goto.
Jan. 25, 9 a.m.: Abe says it is mostly likely the body of Yukawa in the video.
Jan. 27, 11 p.m.: The Islamic State group releases a new video in which a still image of Goto appears to be holding a picture of captured Jordanian air force pilot Mu¡¯ath al-Kaseasbe. What sounds like Goto¡¯s voice says Japan has 24 hours to organize the release of al-Rishawi in exchange for Goto¡¯s freedom.
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