Families Adopt New Policy on Abductees’ Return from North Korea; Age of Parents, Other Relatives a Concern

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:12 JST, February 17, 2025

Two organizations linked to people abducted by North Korea have adopted a new policy demanding that the Japanese government bring all the remaining victims home while their parents and other relatives of that generation are still alive.

The Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea and the National Association for the Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea decided at a joint conference in Tokyo on Sunday to seek the immediate return of the surviving victims.

To achieve this goal, they will ask the government to make the immediate return of the abductees a condition for the North Korea’s receipt of humanitarian aid from Japan and the lifting of unilateral sanctions.

Until recently, the two associations had said they would “not oppose” the provision of humanitarian aid to North Korea on the condition that Pyongyang returned all remaining victims immediately. Going forward, they will lobby the government more intensely and encourage it to hold a Japan-North Korea summit meeting as soon as possible.

“[Victims’] parents and other relatives in that generation are only getting older. Not much time remains,” Takuya Yokota, the representative of the Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea, said at a press conference after the meeting. Yokota is the younger brother of abductee Megumi Yokota.

Takuya voiced objections to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s remark at the House of Representatives Budget Committee on Jan. 31 that establishing a liaison office with North Korea “could be effective to a certain degree.”

“That would just let them buy time,” Takuya said.

Megumi’s mother Sakie Yokota, 89, said: “I believe a day will come when all remaining victims come back with smiles. The crucial step begins now. I humbly ask for support.”