NIIGATA -- Classmates of Megumi Yokota, who was 13 when she was abducted by North Korea in 1977 and hasn't returned to Japan, held an event to honor her late father on the first anniversary of his death Saturday.
Shigeru Yokota died last year on June 5 at age 87.
The event was organized by classmates who pledge to have a reunion with Megumi at Yorii Junior High School in Chuo Ward, Niigata, where she attended school. The ceremony was held in the school gymnasium where Megumi used to practice with the badminton team until she was abducted.
The 17 participants, including those attending online, paid their respects to her father and vowed to resolve the abduction issue as soon as possible.
Megumi's mother Sakie, 85, younger brother Tetsuya, 52, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, who also serves as minister in charge of the abduction issue, were among the online participants.
"Many people in Japan have become aware of the abduction issue," Sakie Yokota said. "I think Shigeru has done a great job. I believe that Megumi will come down the airplane stairs with a smile on her face."
A charity concert was originally scheduled to be held that day, but it was postponed to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
So the classmates' group held a ceremony, wanting to do something on the anniversary of Megumi's father's death.
To mourn her father, the participants sang "Tsubasa wo Kudasai" (Bless Me With Wings), which they had performed at a choral contest with Megumi.
Masaki Ikeda, 57, a representative of the classmates' group, said, "I felt as if Shigeru had come to visit us."
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
