TOKYO (Sputnik) — Yasuda went missing in July, shortly after secretly crossing into Syria from Turkey to independently report on the developments in the Arab republic. Late last week, a photo appeared on the Internet with worn-out and long-haired Yasuda wearing an orange T-shirt and holding a placard with a writing which reads "Please, help me. This is the last chance. Jumpei Yasuda."
"We analyze the image. We are likely to view the person as Yasuda himself," Yoshihide Suga told reporters. The minister also noted that "every effort" was due to be involved to consider the issue.
The authorities, who were constantly working on the case, believed he might have been kidnapped by al-Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. The terrorist group is notorious for capturing foreigners, in particular, with an aim for exchanging them for ransom.
