The victims of kidnapping by North Korea and their families are aging. Their rescue must be hastened.
Shigeru Yokota, the father of abductee Megumi Yokota, has died at the age of 87. Together with his wife, Sakie, he continued to engage in efforts to rescue the victims and was a symbol of the families who hope for the return of the abductees to Japan.
It was in 1977 that his 13-year-old daughter suddenly disappeared. Suspicions that she was abducted by North Korea surfaced later, and the long, arduous journey aimed at rescuing her began.
In 1997, Shigeru Yokota became the representative of the Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea and traveled around the country with Sakie. Over more than 100 lectures in a year, he said, "If you have interest [in the abduction issue], the government will take action." His calm, sincere words and manner aroused public empathy.
Abduction is a serious state crime committed by North Korea. But the Japanese government was slow to take action on the issue. Five Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea returned to Japan after the Japan-North Korea summit meeting in 2002. It was the Yokotas' activities that drove the government to take concrete steps.
The government has recognized 17 Japanese nationals as abductees taken by North Korea. Of the parents of the 12 abductees who have not returned to Japan, only Sakie Yokota and the father of Keiko Arimoto are still alive.
It is urgent to make progress in the stalled negotiations over the abduction issue.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed his intention to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea, without conditions. This change from past policy, which prioritized applying pressure on Pyongyang, apparently stems from Abe's desire to break the deadlock as soon as possible, taking into account the circumstances of the families and other parties.
North Korea claims that eight of the 12 abductees who have yet to return to Japan, including Megumi, have died, and that the four others did not enter North Korea.
This explanation lacks credibility. North Korea has presented the remains of people other than the victims as those of the victims. This insincere attitude cannot be overlooked.
The only way to solve the abduction issue, which has gone through many twists and turns, is for the leaders of the two countries to directly meet and make efforts to settle the issue.
The government needs to urge North Korea through various channels to hold a summit meeting. It is vital to search for personal connections leading to Kim.
Japan has made it a principle to solve the issues of the abductions and North Korea's nuclear and missile development in a comprehensive manner, so that diplomatic relations can be normalized. If the road to normalization is paved, it will be possible for Japan to provide economic assistance to North Korea as Pyongyang wants. A detailed strategy is essential.
In response to Japan's request, U.S. President Donald Trump raised the abduction issue at the two U.S.-North Korea summit meetings. It is necessary to continue asking the United States for its cooperation.
Public interest in the abduction issue cannot be said to have been high in recent years. The government should rebuild its public relations tactics in the international community and in Japan.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on June 9, 2020.
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