Japan’s Prime Minister Meets with Association of Victims Kidnapped By North Korea, Pledges to Resolve Issue

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:16 JST, October 24, 2025

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met Thursday with members of the Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea, her first meeting with them since taking office.

During the meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, Takaichi expressed her strong desire to realize a Japan-North Korea summit to resolve the abduction issue, pledging to “exercise leadership and make a breakthrough at all costs.”

The prime minister began the meeting by apologizing for the lack of progress since the return of five abductees to Japan in October 2002. She expressed her regret, emphasizing that the issue must be resolved as soon as possible. “We will not miss any opportunity,” she said.

Takaichi expressed her intention to seek cooperation from foreign leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who will visit Japan on Monday.

Sakie Yokota, 89, the mother of Megumi Yokota who was abducted at the age of 13, told reporters after the meeting: “We have asked [prime ministers] many times before, but nothing has changed. However, [Prime Minister Takaichi] is a very reliable person, so I have high hopes.”

Takuya Yokota, 57, Megumi’s younger brother and representative of the association, said, “We want the government to break through the current stalemate with a Japan-North Korea summit.”