Reuters
菅義偉官房長官は２３日午後の会見で、過激派組織「イスラム国」による人質事件をめぐり、「厳しい状況にある中、２人の解放に向けて全力で関係各国に協力を要請中」と述べた。犯行グループ側が示した７２時間の期限は過ぎたが、日本政府への接触はないという。
この問題は、過激派組織のイスラム国が日本人の湯川遥菜さんと後藤健二さんを人質に取り、２億ドルの身代金を要求しているもの。政府はイスラム国がインターネット上に投稿した動画を２０日午後に確認し、期限を日本時間の２３日午後２時５０分ごろとみて対応を進めてきた。
ただ、期限を過ぎた時間になっても、イスラム国側から日本政府に向けたメッセージなども「特別ない」（菅官房長官）状態で、政府は引き続き２人の解放に向けて関係各国に協力を要請していく方針だ。
(梅川崇)
イスラム国人質事件
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Kosuke Tsuneoka, a Japanese freelance journalist, prepares to answer questions about the two hostages held by the Islamic State group, at the Foreign Correspondents\' Club of Japan in Tokyo, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015. Tsuneoka, who was held hostage in Afghanistan in 2010, also offered to reach out to the Islamic State group, with Ko Nakata, an expert on Islamic law, to try to save the hostages. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Ko Nakata, Islamic law scholar and visiting professor of Japan\'s Doshisha University, speaks to the press in Tokyo on January 22, 2015, saying he would be able to mediate talks between the Japanese government and the Islamic State over the current hostage crisis following the Islamic State group\'s demand of 200 million USD for the lives of freelance journalist Kenji Goto and self-employed contractor Haruna Yukawa. Japan\'s hostage crisis is a stark reminder that Tokyo\'s deep pockets and alliance with the US make it a target for Islamist militants, analysts say, even if the nation considers itself far removed from Middle Eastern conflicts. AFP PHOTO / Yoshikazu TSUNO (Photo credit should read YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:YOSHIKAZU TSUNO via Getty Images)
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