Mediator ends his efforts to free Japanese journalist in Syria, saying Tokyo has ignored abductors’ demands

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An undated picture provided by Japan's Jiji Press news agency on May 30, taken at an undisclosed location, shows Japanese freelance journalist Jumpei Yasuda holding a piece of paper with a handwritten message in Japanese. Photo: AFP

Published: 1:39pm, 29 Jun 2016Updated: 1:39pm, 29 Jun 2016

A Syrian man who claimed to be the mediator negotiating the release of an abducted Japanese journalist said he has decided to cease his involvement in the case, saying the Japanese government has not responded to the captors’ demands.

In a statement released on another Syrian’s Facebook account Wednesday, the man said he failed in his attempt to mediate talks about freeing 42-year-old freelance journalist Jumpei Yasuda.

Yasuda, who went missing in Syria last year, is still being held by Nusra Front, a militant group in Syria with links to al-Qaeda. The condition of his health is unknown, according to the Facebook post.

The militant group is said to be seeking a ransom. The Syrian mediator said he can no longer ensure Yasuda’s safety.

Japanese journalist Jumpei Yasuda, is seen in a photo sent by e-mail to a Kyodo News photographer on June 23, 2015, before Yasuda's departure to Syria, with the message reading, “I will smuggle myself into Syria from now”. Photo: Reuters / Kyodo

A photo of a man believed to be Yasuda holding a note asking for help in Japan was posted on a social networking site on May 29, and a person on the mediator’s side said Yasuda would be handed over to Islamic State unless the Japanese government starts negotiations within a month.

Yasuda went missing after entering Syria from neighbouring Turkey in June last year and video footage of him reading out a message to his family was posted on Facebook in March.