Yokota Renews Resolve to Bring Back Her Abducted Daughter

Kawasaki, Kanagawa Pref., Nov. 14 (Jiji Press)--Sakie Yokota has renewed her determination to bring back home her abducted daughter, Megumi, from North Korea.

"I'll do anything I can while I'm alive," Yokota, 87, told a press conference in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, where her home is located, ahead of the 46th anniversary Wednesday of the abduction of the then 13-year-old daughter.

But she also said, "I've been feeling frustrated for decades, and now I'm exhausted."

Yokota was hospitalized twice this year due to ill health. She, however, said she is fine now.

She and her husband, Shigeru, who died in 2020 at age 87, gave about 1,400 lectures in total on what happened to Megumi.

Referring to the situation where no clues have been found and her 55-year-old sons, Takuya and Tetsuya, have had to take over the couple's activities to realize Megumi's homecoming, Yokota said, "It's really absurd."

She said she cannot help but doubting that the government is properly negotiating with North Korea to resolve the issue.

Last month, it came to light that Japanese investigative authorities had received information about the death of a South Korean man suspected of abducting Tadaaki Hara, then 43, in 1980 in conspiracy with a North Korean agent. The deceased man was one of 11 Pyongyang-linked abduction suspects Japanese police put on the international wanted list.

"Why haven't we been informed of such an important thing much earlier?" she said, voicing distrust in Japanese authorities.

Megumi has turned 59, but there is still no information about her at all.

"Anything is fine. I want to hear anything (about Megumi)," Yokota stressed.
END