AMMAN, Jordan — The father of an air force pilot appealed for King Abdullah of Jordan on Wednesday to free a female suicide bomber in exchange for the release of his son by Islamic State militants, in an unusually public outpouring of anger toward the Jordanian authorities.
The father, Youssef al-Kasasbeh, broke weeks of silence, requested by government officials, to make the demand at a demonstration calling for the bomber, Sajida al-Rishawi, to be exchanged for the pilot, First Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh.
The move was prompted by concern that the Jordanian authorities were instead considering trading Ms. Rishawi for a Japanese journalist also being held by the Islamic State.
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“Within this extremely severe context, the government of Japan is requesting cooperation from the government of Jordan to bring about the early release of Mr. Goto,” Mr. Abe said Wednesday in Tokyo. “This policy will remain unchanged going forward.”
Martin Fackler contributed reporting from Tokyo.
