Relatives of abductees travel to the US in search of assistance

Two relatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea have embarked on a mission to the United States in hopes of garnering support from US officials for the swift resolution of this longstanding issue.

Yokota Takuya, who leads the group of abductees’ families, and Iizuka Koichiro are on a mission to meet with government officials and lawmakers of both chambers of Congress during their visit before returning to Japan on Saturday. Yokota’s younger brother, Yokota Megumi, was kidnapped by North Korean agents at the age of 13, while Iizuka’s mother, Taguchi Yaeko, was abducted when he was just one year old.

The abductees families’ group recently put together an action plan stating that they would not oppose the Japanese government lifting sanctions on North Korea if all remaining abductees are returned while their parents are still alive. They are urging both the Japanese government and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to take decisive action.

Yokota and Iizuka are expected to explain this new policy during their meetings in the US and seek understanding and support for the early return of the abductees. Yokota expressed his frustration to reporters at Tokyo’s Haneda airport, emphasizing that the families are still waiting for their loved ones to come home.

The Japanese government has confirmed that at least 17 citizens were abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s, with only five returning in 2002. The remaining 12 are still missing, prompting Yokota, Iizuka, and their supporters to continue their efforts to bring them back home.