Sakie Yokota Calls for Expeditious Return of Japanese Nationals Abducted by North Korean Agents

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:44 JST, September 3, 2023

Sakie Yokota, 87, called for the expeditious return of her daughter Megumi and other Japanese nationals abducted by North Korean agents during a meeting Saturday with Yoshiaki Wada, State Minister of Cabinet Office in charge the abduction issue.

Megumi was abducted by North Korean agents in 1977 at the age of 13.

A member of the Asagao-no-Kai group — comprising residents who live in the same apartment building as Sakie — supported her at the meeting. The group has been holding exhibitions across the nation featuring family photos taken by Megumi’s late father, Shigeru Yokota, who died in June 2020 at 87.

During the meeting, Yokota handed Wada 2,046 messages related to the abduction issue that were penned by visitors to an exhibition held in Tokyo in August. “We want the government to strive seriously with the aim of bringing all the abductees home,” Yokota said.

Addressing the issue, Wada said: “Abductees’ family members are getting older, so the abductions are a serious, time-critical human-rights issue. We intend to do our utmost to realize the return of all the abductees to Japan as soon as possible.”