Efforts to free a captive journalist from the militant Islamic State group have reached a "state of deadlock", a top Japanese diplomat says.

The agony of the families of a captured journalist and fighter pilot is continuing after a sunset deadline for a possible prisoner swap allegedly set by their Islamic State (IS) kidnappers passed with no clue whether they are still alive.

Jordan demanded proof last night that a pilot threatened with execution by the Islamic State group was alive, as a deadline set by the jihadists to free a female militant expired.

A deadline is approaching in the Middle East for Jordan to release an Iraqi prisoner or face the death of a captured Jordanian air force pilot, according to the latest threat apparently issued by the Islamic State group.

Experts are examining a recorded message said to have been from hostage Kenji Goto, extending the deadline for Jordan's prisoner-swap release of an Iraqi would-be suicide bomber linked to al Qaida.

Jordan has said it is ready to swap an Iraqi woman it is holding for a Jordanian pilot captured in December by extremists from the Islamic State group.

In the past, Japan has acquiesced to terrorist demands. But recent threats by Islamic State jihadists have exposed Japan’s lack of options, writes Yuriko Koike

“What has my child done wrong?...There’s no more time.”

An online message purportedly from Islamic State warned that a Japanese hostage and Jordanian pilot who the extremists hold have less than “24 hours left to live”.

An online message purportedly from Islamic State group says a Japanese hostage and Jordanian pilot it holds have less than 24 hours left to live.

Japan’s deputy foreign minister has expressed hope that his fellow countryman and a Jordanian pilot held by Islamic militants will return home “with a smile on their faces” as criticisms mounted over the government’s handling of the crisis.

Japan has sought help from Jordan and other countries in its race to save a hostage held by the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, with no signs of progress on securing his release.

From the prime minister to ordinary people, Japanese were shocked at a video purportedly showing one of two Japanese hostages of the extremist Islamic State (IS) group had been killed.

Under fire Japanese PM leads calls for release of second hostage

Japan’s prime minister said he was left “speechless” by a video purportedly showing one of two Japanese hostages of the extremist Islamic State group had been killed.

Japanese officials are investigating a purported message from the extremist Islamic State group about the two Japanese hostages it holds.

Japan promised not to give up “until the very end” on efforts to rescue two Japanese hostages threatened with beheading by Islamic militants, after a deadline passed with no word from the captors.

Japan said it was still trying to secure the release of two Japanese hostages held by Islamic State militants after a deadline to pay a ransom passed and there was no immediate word on their fate.

The deadline for paying ransom for two Japanese hostages held by the Islamic State group (IS) was fast approaching early today with no signs of a breakthrough.

It is an unlikely friendship that ties the fates of war correspondent Kenji Goto and troubled loner Haruna Yukawa, the two Japanese hostages for which Islamic State militants demanded a $200m ransom this week.

Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe has vowed to save two hostages who are being held by Islamic State (IS).

Five ethnic Chechens from Russia have been arrested in France, including one with a cache of explosives, as four other men appeared at a Parisian court, the first to face charges over recent attacks.