A First Step to Solve the Abduction Issue
JAPAN Forward has launched "Ignite," a series to share the voices of students in Japan in English. What do they see beyond our obvious differences, disabilities, and insecurities? Individually and collectively, today's students have the power to shape our global future. This seventh essay of the series is by Zui Gu, a student from Tokushima Prefecture, who prods us to think of the first step needed to solve the issue of North Korea's abduction of Japanese citizens.
Annually, the Headquarters for the Abduction Issue holds a North Korean Human Rights Violations Awareness Week Essay Contest for junior and senior high school students across the country. (The Government of Japan established the Headquarters, an organization led by the Prime Minister and composed of all the Ministers of State to resolve the abductions issue.) It aims to raise awareness of the abduction issue through viewing films and stage plays, reading books related to the issue, and other opportunities to help the students understand the feelings of abduction victims and their families.
These students often use the essay contest as an opportunity to think deeply about what they can and should do to resolve the abduction issue. Some, like Zui Gu, also take on the challenge to directly communicate their thoughts and ideas to others in English. Let's listen.
Seventh in the Series, 'Ignite'
I can't forgive the abductions by North Korea. If I were a member of the family of Megumi Yokota, I would feel desperate every day of my life. The family lost her, their beloved daughter, unreasonably, by the way of "abduction," and they've never known about her since then. But, they have never given up and have taken many actions to get her back.
I didn't know anything about the abduction issue before. This year [2024], I became a participant of the JHS summit, so I learned about it. I could understand the fact and severity of it. How about other junior high school students? When they hear about the abduction issue, what will they think? I think they will not be interested, and say "I see … and what?" Probably they don't know about it, and may think it doesn't matter to them.
I think it's a big problem that there are many people who don't know about the abduction issue or think it doesn't matter to them. We should solve this problem first. So, I think it's most important to change people's mind, from "I don't know about it" to "I have heard of it." Zui Gu, a student at Itano Junior High School in Tokushima, receives the Excellence Award for his English essay from Minister for the Abductions Yoshimasa Hayashi at the 2024 North Korean Human Rights Violations Awareness Week seminar on December 14. (Screenshot)
To do that, the most effective way is using the internet or SNS to send and receive information about the abduction issue. Recently, smartphones are everywhere, and almost all of my classmates possess them. When we send more messages about the abduction issue using the internet, then more people that we don't know can receive and understand the issue.
It's easier to use SNS compared to talking to each person, isn't it? However, sending messages using the internet or SNS may cause insults or misunderstandings. But nevertheless, if we debate about the issues, many people may watch the debates. That will increase the number of people who know the issue.
Debating about it will deepen our interests in it. Moreover, we should send this message that "the abduction issue is our own affair." I think this idea is especially important.
Someone may think, "Can we solve the issue in such a way?" The answer is maybe "No" but it's enough for us, junior high school students.
I read the brochure about the abduction issue published by the government. One question is: What can we Japanese people do to solve the abduction issue? The answer I found is, "When each Japanese person expresses strong determination that we will never forgive abductions and we will definitely get all the abductees back as soon as possible, it will be a strong support to solve this issue." Meumi Yokota's brothers and others from the families of abduction victims call for signatures demanding the swift rescue of the abductees. April 26, in Tokyo (©Sankei by Katsuyuki Seki)
The abductions happened in the past, but it is the ongoing problem, and hasn't been resolved yet. I think using internet or SNS is the most effective way to inform the younger generation like us about the issue. We can even convey this information beyond the border. So, I want people all over the world to know the issue, not only Japanese. I'm glad if my idea contributes to resolving the abduction issue.
At the time he submitted this essay, Zui Gu was an eighth grade student at Itano Junior High School in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan. He delivered this comment upon receiving the Excellence Award for his English essay by a junior high school student:
Comment from the winner: The possibility of an abduction happening in your town is not zero. So surely the first step towards resolving the abduction issue is to recognize it as something that concerns you personally.
Author: Zui Gu
Student, Itano Junior High School, Tokushima Prefecture
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