Tokyo, Oct. 5 (Jiji Press)–The mother of Megumi Yokota, a Japanese woman abducted to North Korea at age 13 in 1977, continues praying for a reunion with her daughter, with her loved one turning 62 on Monday. “There has been no information (about Megumi) for the 50 years (since she went missing),” the 90-year-old mother, Sakie, has told reporters. “I just want her to stay alive.” Sakie had prepared a birthday cake for Megumi every year. But the mother stopped the custom a few years ago. “It’s painful to do what I did when we were happy. She is not here with me.” The mother said she talks to a portrait of her husband, Shigeru, who died six years ago at age 87, every day, telling him, “Watch us over until Megumi comes back.” Sakie sometimes falls ill and suffers injuries due to her old age. Still, she continues her activities to bring back her daughter, saying, “I have no choice but to do what I can every day.” She called for the early resolution of the issue of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea decades ago, including Megumi. “It is the government’s duty to rescue abducted Japanese citizens,” Sakie said. “Why haven’t they been able to do that for so long? It’s really terrible.” Megumi was abducted on a road near the coast while returning from her junior high school in the central Japan city of Niigata on Nov. 15, 1977. On Saturday, Megumi’s elementary and junior high school classmates held a charity concert in Niigata, wishing for her homecoming. In a video message sent to the concert venue, Sakie said, “I hope you will help us so that many abduction victims can return to Japan this year.” Megumi’s brother, Tetsuya, 58, told the audience at the venue: “I trust the current government (of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi). I want them to produce results.” The venue was packed with about 420 visitors. At the charity concert, the 16th of its kind, violinist Naoya Yoshida, 62, a junior high school classmate of Megumi, and others gave performances, and classmates and former teachers sang two songs. Elementary and junior high school classmates also talked about their memories of Megumi and discussed what they think about the abduction issue. Masaki Ikeda, 62, head of an association of classmates, which organized the concert, said: “I do hope that next year’s event will be a gathering for celebration (for Megumi’s homecoming). I want to hear big news with everyone soon.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
