The families of the victims of the abduction by North Korea met with the US Ambassador to Japan Emmanuel, who arrived in January, for the first time, and asked for cooperation to realize the earliest possible return of all victims.
Megumi Yokota's mother, Sakie Yokota, who was abducted by North Korea, and her younger brother, Takuya, who is the representative of the family association, visited the US Ambassador's residence in Minato-ku, Tokyo on the morning of the 14th, and with Rahm Emanuel, Ambassador to Japan. I met you.
Ambassador Emmanuel arrived in January and is the first time the abductee's family has met.
The visit was held privately for about an hour, and according to the attendees, after explaining that some people, such as Shigeo Iizuka, died without being able to reunite with the victims, based on the aging of the victims and their families. He complained that he had limited time to resolve.
He also requested cooperation for all victims to return home as soon as possible, and expressed his intention to visit President Biden if he had the opportunity to visit Japan.
Ambassador Emmanuel listened to his family's story and said, "I feel like I'm thrilled. The United States will never forget this problem and will work together to resolve it."
After the visit, Yaeko Taguchi's eldest son, Koichiro Iizuka, said, "In a situation where negotiations on nuclear weapons and missiles are stagnant, I want you to tolerate the progress of negotiations on the abduction issue."
In addition, Takuya Yokota said, "I was reassured to hear the words of the ambassador. I think it would be a strong message to North Korea if I could meet with President Biden."