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Mother of Megumi Yokota Seeks Donald Trump’s Help to Return Japanese Abducted by North Korea

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center left, speaks after U.S. President Donald Trump, center right, met with Sakie Yokota, fourth from right in the front row, and other family members of the Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea, in Tokyo in November 2017.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

7:00 JST, January 23, 2025

The mother of Megumi Yokota, who was abducted by North Korea decades ago, on Tuesday sought help from U.S. President Donald Trump to realize the return of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea.

Megumi was 13 years old when she was abducted by North Korean agents in Niigata City in 1977.

“Mr. Trump can have talks with [North Korean leader] Mr. Kim Jong Un,” said the mother, Sakie Yokota, in a statement released the day after Trump took office as the U.S. president. “I hope that he will help us in our efforts to manage to rescue [our loved ones] by calling for Mr. Kim to release the Japanese abductees so that they can return home.”

Trump met with Sakie Yokota in 2017 and 2019 during his first presidency. When he met with Kim in 2018 and 2019, the president reportedly urged the North Korean leader to solve the abduction issue.

“I’m getting old now,” Yokota, 88, also said in the statement. “I feel so pressed as I’m afraid I won’t be able to see her again if [the issue isn’t solved] as soon as possible.”