TOKYO — The latest video of Kenji Goto, a journalist being held by an extremist group claiming to be the Islamic State, made other journalists and his family even more worried about his safety.
The message in the video has also confused them, as it seems no-tably different to what are thought to be his true feelings.
"It's definitely his voice," said journalist Akira Ikegami, who has had regular contact with the 47-year-old Goto, when listening to the voice. "He can speak English fluently, but it sounds clearly pronounced, word by word," said Ikegami. He believes Goto did this on purpose, so that others would know "it didn't reflect his true feelings," he said.
Seeing Goto's hollow cheeks and haggard face, Ikegami expressed concern for him. "He looks mentally cornered, being in such a harsh environment."
It is said that hostages detained by extremist groups experience harsh treatment, such as being imprisoned in tight spaces with many other hostages.
"I almost cry when I think that he could get this gaunt — this bad — compared to the first video footage," said Naomi Toyoda of Japan Visual Journalist Association, who once worked with Goto in Jordan. "I hope they will free him as soon as possible."
Toshitsugu Maeda, a journalist very familiar with Goto, pointed out that the content of message was unnatural. "I don't think he would ask for quarter. He must have been forced to say such a thing, as what he said was humiliating for him." In the video footage a male voice is heard, which says, "It is easy to save my life." The voice also demands the release of Sajida al-Rishawi, a death row inmate who committed simultaneous bombing attacks in Jordan in 2005.
"He looks very nervous, stiff," said Junko Ishido, Goto's mother — in her late 70s — who watched the video footage on TV. "Kenji is good at speaking English. The pronunciation was too clear, like textbook English," said Ishido questioningly.
(c) 2015, The Yomiuri Shimbun.
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