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Immediate Release

Statement by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel on the Murder of Japanese Citizen Haruna Yukawa

With all the men and women of the Department of Defense, I extend my deepest condolences to the family of Haruna Yukawa, who was murdered at the hands of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). ISIL's inhumanity stands in sharp contrast to the generous humanitarian aid Japan has provided to the Iraqi and Syrian people in recent months, and their continued barbarism only serves to strengthen our global coalition's shared resolve to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL. We call for the immediate release of Kenji Goto and all other remaining hostages, and as I told Japanese Defense Minister Nakatani this week, the United States and its military stand steadfast alongside our Japanese allies. We send our thoughts and prayers to the loved ones of Mr. Yukawa, and to all the people of Japan who mourn this tragic loss.