Japan PM rushes home to lead hostage crisis response

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was rushing home from the Middle East Wednesday to take charge of Tokyo’s response after Islamic State militants threatened to kill two nationals unless he pays a US$200 million ransom.

A defiant Abe vowed he would not bow to “terrorism” as Japan was thrust abruptly into the conflict gripping Syria and Iraq, where militants have seized control of large areas.