Japan chief spokesman: chances high that message of IS captive is authentic

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Thursday that chances were high that the latest audio message purportedly from a Japanese captive held by Islamic State militants is authentic, and government ministers will meet later to discuss the issue. According to the message, the militants have threatened to kill a Jordanian air force pilot also held by the group unless an Iraqi female prisoner in Jordan was released by sunset on Thursday. (Reporting by Elaine Lies, Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)