Japan must learn right lesson from IS killings

The Islamic State group, which controls large swathes of northern Iraq and Syria, recently beheaded two hostages from Japan, a country that doesn't seem to be even remotely a target for the militant group's brutality and contempt for humanity. The murders, of course, have come as an overwhelming shock to the civilized world, as well as a wake-up call for Japanese leaders who failed to negotiate the release of the hostages.

The crisis started with the release of an online video, in which the IS extremists threatened to kill the two Japanese hostages in response to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's financial support for the countries fighting the Islamic extremists. During his visit to the Middle East last month, Abe offered about $200 million in humanitarian and development aid to the countries.

After beheading the two Japanese hostages, the IS extremists released a video showing a Jordanian pilot they had kidnapped being burned alive after trilateral negotiations involving Japan, Jordan and the IS broke down. Furious at the IS' brutal act, Jordan hanged two Iraqi jihadists, including a woman, on Feb 4, bringing the futile negotiations to a tragic end.