Age, Biography and Wiki

Kenji Goto was born on 23 October, 1967 in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese freelance journalist. Discover Kenji Goto's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 48 years old?

Popular As N/A
Occupation Journalist
Age 48 years old
Zodiac Sign Libra
Born 23 October, 1967
Birthday 23 October
Birthplace Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
Date of death 2015
Died Place Near Raqqa, Syria
Nationality Japan

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 23 October. He is a member of famous Journalist with the age 48 years old group.

Kenji Goto Height, Weight & Measurements

At 48 years old, Kenji Goto height not available right now. We will update Kenji Goto's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Who Is Kenji Goto's Wife?

His wife is Rinko Jogo

Family
Parents Junko Ishido (mother)
Wife Rinko Jogo
Sibling Not Available
Children 3

Kenji Goto Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Kenji Goto worth at the age of 48 years old? Kenji Goto’s income source is mostly from being a successful Journalist. He is from Japan. We have estimated Kenji Goto's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Journalist

Kenji Goto Social Network

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Timeline

Kenji Goto (後藤 健二) was a Japanese freelance video journalist covering wars and conflicts, refugees, poverty, AIDS, and child education around the world.

1967

Goto was born on 23 October 1967 in the city of Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan.

1991

After graduating from Hosei University in Tokyo in 1991, he worked for a media production company before establishing Independent Press in 1996.

He also worked with U.N. organizations including UNICEF and the U.N. Refugee Agency.

Reporting from war-torn countries around the world, especially in Africa and the Middle East, he focused on the life and humanity of the ordinary citizens in difficult times.

His works include books and DVDs on blood diamonds and child soldiers in Sierra Leone, the Rwandan conflict and its survivors, a teenage mother in an Estonian "AIDS village", and girls and education in Afghanistan.

1997

Goto converted to Christianity in 1997, and was a member of a United Church of Christ in Japan parish in Den-en-chōfu, Tokyo.

2005

In an audiotape accompanying the picture, Goto read a message in English blaming the Japanese government for the death of his "cellmate" and claiming that IS would spare Goto's life and exchange him for Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi, an attempted suicide bomber who participated in the 2005 Amman bombings.

On 29 January, Goto's wife, Rinko Jogo, released a plea to his captors through the Rory Peck Trust, a UK-based organization that supports freelance journalists.

2006

In 2006, he won the Sankei Children's Book Award for his 2005 book titled Daiyamondo yori Heiwa ga Hoshii (I Want Peace Rather Than a Diamond).

His video reports appeared on Japanese national networks including NHK and TV Asahi.

2010

Before Goto was murdered, a tweet he posted to Twitter in 2010 went viral.

, it had been re-tweeted more than 40,000 times.

In it, Goto said, "Close your eyes. Bear it. If we become angry and yell, we are doomed. This is like prayer. Hate is not what humans should do. Judgement lies with God. That is what I learned from my Arab brothers."

(目を閉じて、じっと我慢. 怒ったら、怒鳴ったら、終わり. それは祈りに近い. 憎むは人の業にあらず、裁きは神の領域. -そう教えてくれたのはアラブの兄弟たちだった.)

2014

In October 2014, he was captured and held hostage by Islamic State (IS) militants after entering Syria in the hopes of rescuing Japanese hostage Haruna Yukawa.

In October 2014, Goto's wife, Rinko Jogo, had a baby, the couple's second child.

He also had an older daughter from a previous marriage.

Despite being warned three times by the Japanese government in September and October 2014, both by telephone and in person, not to return to Syria, Goto entered Syria on 24 October 2014 via Turkey to rescue a Japanese hostage, Haruna Yukawa, who had been captured by IS militants in August.

He was reportedly captured by IS members the following day.

2015

On 30 January 2015, he was beheaded by his captors led by Jihadi John following the breakdown of negotiations for his release.

He appeared in a video released by IS militants on 20 January 2015, in which they demanded $200 million from the government of Japan for the lives of Goto and Yukawa.

His mother, Junko Ishidō (石堂 順子), made a plea to IS to spare her son at a press conference held at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan in Tokyo on 23 January.

On 24 January, IS released a picture of Goto holding a photo of decapitated Haruna Yukawa.

On 31 January 2015, IS released a video that showed Goto being beheaded.

It was later reported that he had been moved to the town of Tal Abyad near the Turkish border with Syria on 29 January in preparation for a possible exchange with al-Rishawi, but when it became apparent that the exchange would not be taking place, he was taken back to a location near the city of Raqqa in Syria, and killed on the morning of 30 January, local time.

Al-Rishawi for her part was hanged by the Jordanian government on 5 February in response to the death of pilot Muath al-Kasasbeh.

Following the release of Goto's beheading video by IS on 31 January, many major Japanese television outlets, including NHK, Nippon Television, TBS, Fuji Television, and TV Asahi, suspended their normal programming schedules to provide breaking news coverage on this event.

Some foreign media outlets noted a rather skeptical and critical response by the Japanese public regarding the two hostages.

The Japanese public responded in a similar way to three Japanese citizens who were also taken hostage in Iraq.

Public outrage of their naïveté compelled the Japanese government to bill them for their return airfare to Japan after their release.

The general public sentiment in Japan towards these hostages has been that they are to be blamed for putting themselves deliberately in harm's way, while the Japanese government and taxpayers are pressured to pay the price to get them back.