Govt studying video said to be missing journalist

Japan said on Thursday it was investigating footage of a man identifying himself as a Japanese journalist believed missing in Syria, who appeared to be speaking under duress and seeking the government's help.

The government is sensitive to any news of possible Japanese captures abroad after Islamic State militants claimed to have beheaded war correspondent Kenji Goto last year, a week after the group also said it killed Haruna Yukawa, a self-styled contractor.

The video of Jumpei Yasuda was widely shown on Japanese TV news programs on Thursday.