Families of Abductees Rally in Tokyo for Immediate Return

Tokyo, Nov. 3 (Jiji Press)–Families of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea participated in a national rally in Tokyo on Monday to demand the immediate return of all abductees to Japan. “My sister has been detained for 48 years, and our family ties have been torn apart,” Takuya Yokota, 57, said of his sister, Megumi, who was abducted in 1977 at age 13. “Please take measures to rescue them as soon as possible,” Yokota, who heads a group of families of abduction victims, said, asking the government to resolve the abduction issue while the generation of abductees’ parents is still alive. About 800 people, including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, participated in the rally, hosted partly by Yokota’s group. The 89-year-old mother of Megumi, Sakie, is the only survivor among the parents of abduction victims recognized by the government who have yet to return to Japan. “I have been appealing again and again, but strangely, nothing has happened,” Sakie said. “If you just attack, the other side never opens up. We hope to see warm-hearted talk and negotiations even if things may get painful.” Masako Kitatani, 69, whose sister Keiko Arimoto was kidnapped in 1983 at age 23, also spoke at the event. After their father, Akihiro, died in February this year, Kitatani joined the group of abductees’ families to show North Korea her determination not to give up on Keiko’s return. “There’re a lot of things I want to talk about when she comes back,” Kitatani said. “My parents and aunts died without saying anything about Keiko, just keeping the matter to themselves.” Takaichi said, “With the earnest feelings and painful voices of the families of the abductees in my heart, I will take the lead in resolving the abduction issue.” At the rally, a resolution was adopted demanding that North Korea decide to return all victims. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]