Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has vowed to stand firm after the Islamic State group threatened to kill two Japanese nationals, saying he would not freeze a multi-million dollar aid package.
His remarks on Tuesday were made several hours after the jihadist group released a video threatening to kill the hostages if Tokyo did not pay a $US200 million ($A216 million) ransom within 72 hours.
An IS militant said in the video that the ransom demand was to compensate for non-military aid that Abe pledged on Saturday to countries affected by the militant group's bloody expansion in Iraq and Syria.
'Making threats by taking people hostage is an unforgivable terrorist act about which I feel strong anger,' Abe told reporters at a news conference in Jerusalem, his words relayed through a translator.
'I strongly demand that they not be harmed and that they be immediately released,' he said.
'The international community will not give in to any form of terrorism and we have to make sure that we work together.'
He said Japan's pledge of aid would not be affected.
'This $US200 million package for refugees and displaced persons is absolutely necessary (for them)... in order to survive,' he said.
'This position is unshakable, it is not to be changed,' he said, stressing that the money was to help those made homeless by the conflict in Iraq and Syria.
The Japanese leader said two teams had been set up to handle the hostage crisis - one within the cabinet and one within the foreign ministry.
He said he was sending State Minister for Foreign Affairs Yasuhide Nakayama, Japan's deputy foreign minister, to Jordan to speak with the government there and to gather more information.
'I will take the leadership to solve this problem,' Abe said.
Abe was to fly back to Japan later in the day, several hours earlier than scheduled.
Abe vows Japan won't bow to terrorism
