Kishida Meets Families of N. Korean Abductees; Pledges to Continue Efforts to Bring Them Home

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:05 JST, May 11, 2024

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, meeting Friday with family members of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea, pledged to continue to work toward a solution of the problem and bring their loved ones home.

“I intend to have high-level negotiations continue that will lead to a summit [with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un],” Kishida said at the meeting  at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Among those who met with Kishida was Takuya Yokota, representative of the Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea whose sister Megumi was abducted decades ago at the age of 13.

Yokota recently returned from a meeting in the United States with high-ranking government officials and lawmakers. He told Kishida that he obtained full support of the group’s new policy, which states it will not oppose the lifting of Japanese sanctions on North Korea if each and every abductee is returned.