Suga meets families of victims abducted by North Korea

Family members of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea met Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on April 7 at the Prime Minister’s Office ahead of Suga’s planned visit to the United States.

Sakie Yokota, 85-year-old mother of Megumi Yokota, who was abducted in 1977 at age 13, and Akihiro Arimoto, 92-year-old father of Keiko Arimoto, who was abducted in 1983 when she was 23, were among the members of the Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea in attendance.

“I will explain directly [to U.S. President Joe Biden] so that he will understand how important the abduction issue is to Japan and do my best so that we can work together to resolve the issue,” Suga said at the meeting, referring to his plan to meet Biden on April 16 in Washington.

He also showed his willingness to work on realizing the abductees’ return to Japan.

“I am determined to face [North Korean leader Kim Jong Un] without attaching any conditions,” Suga said.

Yokota said: “I think about my daughter every morning and I pray that she will be safe every night, even though dozens of years have passed. I really hope she can set foot in Japan again.”

At a press conference after the meeting, one of her sons, Takuya Yokota, 52, said: “We need to resolve the issue as soon as possible. I hope the Japanese and U.S. governments will move forward with human rights diplomacy and send a strong message to North Korea.” (April 9)

The Yomiuri Shimbun Sakie Yokota, center, and some of the members of the Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea submit a document to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, left, on April 7 at the Prime Minister’s Office.