(CNN)Ransom is as old as kidnappings, bad guys and money. But it never gets old enough not to demand again, as the Japanese government now knows all too well. In a video posted Tuesday to social media, a black-clad ISIS militant stood over two men he said were Japanese citizens. Both would die, he said, unless the Japanese government paid the Islamist extremist group $200 million within 72 hours. That ISIS wants ransom isn't unexpected. But a few things -- like the public nature and staggering amount of the request -- make it stand out. Yes. It's hard to quantify all the examples, because hostage takers in ambitious militant groups like ISIS rarely make their demands public. But just as kidnappings are the norm for such groups, so is asking for ransom.
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On a video, ISIS demands $200 million to release two Japanese citizens
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The request is much higher than is typically requested or paid out for hostages
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Some nations have policies against paying ransom, saying it encourages kidnappers
ISIS' history shows there may not be a lot, but it's possible that there will be talks with the @placeholder hostage takers.