Japanese journalist’s wife begs for his return

The wife of a Japanese freelance journalist kidnapped in Syria more than three years ago broke her silence yesterday to plead for his release after he appeared in a hostage video.

Jumpei Yasuda, 44, was abducted in June 2015 and in the video can be seen kneeling between two men armed with assault rifles. It remains unclear which group is holding Mr Yasuda.

“Please return my husband safe as soon as possible,” his wife Myu tearfully told a news conference in Tokyo.