Isis Japanese hostage Kenji Goto's mother in emotional plea for son's life

The mother of a Japanese hostage facing being beheaded at the hands of Islamic State (Isis) jihadists has renewed a public appeal to Japan's government to save her son.

Junko Ishido pleaded with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to "extend a helping hand" and work to secure the release of her journalist son Kenji Goto, 47, after Isis issued a 24-hour negotiation deadline.

The extremist group has demanded the Jordanian government releases, Sajida al-Rishawi, an Iraqi woman facing the death penalty for the 2005 bombings that killed 60 people at hotels in the Arab Kingdom, in exchange for Goto and a captured pilot from Jordan's air force.

"Please save Kenji's life," Ishido told reporters reading a plea to Abe. "Kenji has only a little time left".

"I believe it is the role of the government and prime minister to protect the Japanese people," she added, speaking from her home in Tokyo, local newspaper Asahi Shimbun reported.

"The government should extend a helping hand when the people are in trouble."

Ishido also pleaded with his son's brutal captors to spare his life, saying he held no ill-feelings towards the extremist group and ventured inside Isis-held territory in Syria only to save a friend.

"He was only very concerned for (Haruna) Yukawa," she said. "Please forgive my son."

Goto, an experienced freelance war correspondent appeared kneeling in the desert in an orange jumpsuit alongside Yukawa, a 45-year-old aspiring military contractor, in a video released by Isis last week.

The terror group initially demanded a $200m (£132m) ransom for the two men's lives.

A still photo of Goto holding what appeared to be a photo of Yukawa's bheaded body was issued a few days later, in a video used by Isis to change its demand for the life of the journalist, proposing a prisoner swap.

A third clip showing once again a still image of the reporter, this time holding a picture of captive Jordanian pilot fighter pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh, with a voiceover issuing a 24 hour negotiation deadline, was released yesterday.

"I've been told this is my last message, and I've also been told that the barrier obstructing my freedom is just the Jordanian government delaying the handover of Sajida [al-Rishawi]," says a voiceover that appears to be that of Goto.

"Time is running very short. It is me for her. What seems so difficult to understand. She's been a prisoner for a decade and I've only been a prisoner for a few months," he continues, telling the Japanese government to put pressure on Jordan.

Japan's Prime Minister Abe expressed outrage at the footage.

"This was an extremely despicable act and we feel strong indignation. We strongly condemn that," Abe said. "While this is a tough situation, we remain unchanged in our stance of seeking help from the Jordanian government in securing the early release of Mr Goto."