Tokyo: A video has been released which purportedly shows the beheading of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto by the Islamic State (IS) militants, after his compatriot Haruna Yukawa was executed a few days back, according to media reports Sunday.

Goto, 47, a well-known freelance journalist and film-maker, was known to have gone to Syria in October to secure Yukawa's release, according to a BBC report.