Families of Japanese abductees race against time
Sakie Yokota, 89, is now the only surviving parent of a Japanese abductee. Her daughter, Megumi Yokota, became a symbol of the issue after being abducted in 1977 at the age of 13.
The Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea continues to press the government for stronger action. The group has collected signatures to rally public support, hoping that Megumi and other abductees can be brought home while her mother is still alive to welcome them.
The Japanese government has officially recognized 17 people as victims of abduction by the reclusive Asian regime. Of those, 12 have yet to return, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
In recent years, the parents of abductees have died one after another without a chance to be reunited with their children. Following the death of Akihiro Arimoto — father of Keiko Arimoto, who disappeared in Europe in 1983 at the age of 23 — in February at age 96, Sakie Yokota is now the last living parent of a recognized abductee.
Reflecting on the long struggle ahead of her 90th birthday next February, Yokota said with a sigh, "I wonder how much longer I will be able to live. It has taken such a long time (to resolve the abduction issue).
"I want to face my final moments after seeing (the victims) somehow set foot on Japanese soil and say, 'Thank you, we were able to come home,' with tears of joy," she said, expressing her heartfelt wish.
On April 26, five members of the family association, along with supporters, took to the streets of Ginza in central Tokyo to gather signatures for their campaign. Calling out, "Every stroke of your pen is power," they appealed to passersby for support. It was the association's first street campaign in 12 years. The last such effort, in 2013, collected approximately 10,000 signatures.
The latest initiative reflects growing concern over the "time limit" imposed by the aging families and fading public memory of the long-standing abduction issue.
"The family association has set a time limit of rescuing the victims while any of their parents is still alive," said Takuya Yokota, the 56-year-old younger brother of Megumi and chief representative of the association. "We felt it was necessary to once again appeal to public opinion to help drive swift progress" in bringing the victims home.
Since the family association was established in 1997, more than 19,000 signatures have been collected. Koichiro Iizuka, 48, the first son of abductee Yaeko Taguchi, who was snatched away in 1978 at the age of 22, expressed his resolve: "If we give up, it will end there. So we will continue to raise our voices."
The family association has long urged the Japanese government to take concrete steps to secure the early return of the abductees. Still, negotiations between Japan and North Korea have remained at a standstill since October 2002, when five victims were repatriated following a historic summit between then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and then-North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang the preceding month. The two countries still do not have diplomatic relations.
The family association is placing its slender hopes on the possibility of a U.S.-North Korea summit during the second term of U.S. President Donald Trump.
In 2017, during his first term, Trump raised the abduction issue in a speech to the U.N. General Assembly. The following year, he held the first-ever U.S.-North Korea summit, having talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore.
Trump has met with the families of Japanese abduction victims on multiple occasions. Before his passing, Akihiro Arimoto expressed hope that Trump could help bring renewed attention to their cause.
From April 29 to May 4 this year, a delegation including Takuya Yokota visited the United States to seek cooperation from the U.S. government on resolving the issue. During their visit, members of the delegation met with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, other senior officials from the Trump administration and members of the U.S. Congress. The delegation urged the United States to ensure that the abduction issue is raised at any future U.S.-North Korea summit meeting.
After returning to Japan, Yokota expressed confidence. "Having the opportunities to meet with key figures in the Trump administration is itself a source of hope and courage for the families of the victims," he said. "I believe it also serves as a clear demonstration of close Japan-U.S. cooperation, which will put strong pressure on North Korea."
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