ISIS released photos of a purported Japanese fighter today –
Sheikh Hasan Konakata
Konakata was a professor of Islam before joining ISIS.
(But, ISIS has nothing to do with Islam.)
From a 2010 interview:
Ko Nakata was born in Okayama, Japan, in July 1960. He converted to Islam in 1979 whilst at University and thereafter adopted the first name of “Hassan”.
In the past thirty years Ko Nakata has had a rich and diverse academic career. He completed his PhD in Islamic Philosophy at Cairo University in 1992-1996. In 2003 he joined the Faculty of Theology at Doshisha University. He was the deputy director of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies for Monotheistic Religions at Doshisha University from 2003-2008.
He has published many academic texts, foremost “Wilayat Al-Faqih, Sovereignty and Constitution: Political Theories in Post-Khomeini Iran” (2000); “The Interplay between Islam and Civilization: the Case of East Asia” (2002); “The Concept of Khilafa: Spreading the Rule of Law all over the World” (2010).
Ko Nakata is also a community activist and sits on the board of directors of the Japan Muslim Association.
Nine Japanese nationals have reportedly joined ISIS.