Japan’s Kihara Vows to End Abduction Issue

Niigata, Nov. 15 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara on Saturday expressed his resolve to end the issue of North Korea’s abductions of Japanese nationals decades ago. “I should be the last minister in charge of the abduction issue,” Kihara said at a rally held in the central Japan city of Niigata on the day that 13-year-old Megumi Yokota was abducted by North Korea 48 years ago. Kihara emphasized that he aims for the return of all abductees, regardless of whether they have been officially recognized as those abducted by North Korea. “We’ll do everything we can with strong determination,” he said. Yokota’s mother, Sakie, attended the rally remotely. “I hope that everyone works together to resolve the issue so that we’ll be able to hear screams of delight (over abductees returning to Japan) throughout the country,” she said. Speaking to reporters after the rally, Takuya, a younger brother of Megumi and head of a group of families of abductees, said that the situation will depend on how determined and serious Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is about resolving the issue. Prior to the rally, Kihara walked along the route Yokota had taken home from Yorii Junior High School and inspected a coastal area believed to be the location where the junior high school first-year student was taken on a ship. “It’s unforgivable that an incident undermining our country’s sovereignty and the safety of our people occurred in such a quiet residential area within a school district,” Kihara said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]