World leaders condemn ISIS's 'outrageous' hostage murder

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe yesterday branded the murder of a Japanese hostage by Islamic State militants as "outrageous and unforgivable" and demanded the immediate release of a second captive, amid a tide of global revulsion.

The apparent beheading of self-employed security contractor Haruna Yukawa was announced in a video generally agreed to be credible, and appeared to mark a grave turn of events in a crisis that has gripped Japan for nearly a week.

"Such an act of terrorism is outrageous and unforgivable," Abe told broadcaster NHK.

"I condemn it strongly and resolutely," he said, calling for the immediate freeing of Yukawa's fellow captive, freelance journalist Kenji Goto.

US President Barack Obama led the worldwide condemnation of what he called the "brutal murder".

Obama, who arrived in New Delhi yesterday for a three-day visit, telephoned Abe from the Indian capital "to offer condolences for the murder... and to convey solidarity with the Japanese people", said a White House statement.

British Prime Minister David Cameron decried the Islamic State movement's "murderous barbarity", and French President Francois Hollande labelled it a "barbaric assassination".

Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbot called it "an absolute atrocity" carried out by a "death cult".

Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier condemned the killing as "an odious crime".

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said the beheading "is yet another demonstration that this organisation's ideology and actions are in breach of all universally recognised values and rights".