The families of North Korean abductees will meet with US President Joe Biden, who is visiting Japan, on the 23rd.
As the population ages, many families die without being able to reunite with the victims, and the president is directly complaining of the suffering that has been torn apart with his relatives for over 40 years.
The visit is to be held at the guesthouse in Tokyo, and is the representative of the family association, Megumi Yokota's younger brother Takuya (53), mother Sakie (86), and Yaeko Taguchi's eldest son Iizuka. Koichiro (45) and others are supposed to attend.
The family of the abductees met with the President of the United States three years ago, the fifth time since former President Trump in 2019, and the first meeting with President Biden.
At the visit, I will tell you that the aging of the family is progressing, and there are a series of families who die without being able to reunite with the victims, such as Shigeru Yokota and Shigeo Iizuka who met with successive presidents.
He has been complaining about the suffering of his relatives and his torn family for over 40 years, and wants to seek the cooperation of the United States for the earliest possible return of all victims.
Takuya Yokota, the representative of the family association, told NHK that "I want you to feel the regret, sadness, and regret that you haven't seen your family and siblings for more than 40 years." I'm talking.
Victims' families said that meeting with the president was not the goal, and they would pay close attention to what kind of exchanges would be made on the abduction issue at the Japan-US summit meeting on the 23rd. We are seeking the realization of a summit meeting.
Megumi Yokota's younger brother Takuya "I want to hit my heartfelt voice"
Prior to the meeting with President Biden, Megumi Yokota's younger brother, Takuya, who was the representative of the abductee's family association, said in an interview with NHK, "The victim's family has been in suffering for more than 40 years, and I want to convey the regret, sadness, and regret that I can't meet with my family and siblings directly and with enthusiasm. I want to. "
In addition, "My father died, and the former representative of the family association, Iizuka, died last year without being able to meet his sister Yaeko Taguchi again." You must not be forgiven that you cannot meet even after 40 years. " I want to tell you that, and if my mother, who is 86 years old, and Akihiro Arimoto, who is over 90 years old, speak from the bottom of my heart, I'm sure that I can tell that there is no time for a solution. I really want to talk about that feeling. "
In addition, Mr. Yokota said, "I think it will be a pressure for General Secretary Kim Jung-eun to meet with the President of the United States." I want you to send a message that if you solve the problem, it will be a bright future for each other's countries. "
No momentary grace is allowed to resolve the abduction issue
The abduction issue is a situation in which many families die without being able to reunite with the victims, and there is no time to spare for resolution.
Of the 12 government-approved abduction victims whose safety is unknown, eight have died without reuniting with their children since the 2002 Japan-North Korea summit. I am.
Megumi Yokota's father, Shigeru, and Keiko Arimoto's mother, Kayoko, have died since the meeting with former President Trump three years ago.
The two still alive parents are Megumi Yokota's mother, Sakie Yokota, 86, and Keiko Arimoto's father, Akihiro, 93.
Also, in December of last year, Shigeo Iizuka, the older brother of Yaeko Taguchi, who was the representative of the family association in the form of succeeding Shigeru Yokota, died.
Under these circumstances, the Japan-North Korea summit meeting, in which North Korea admitted the abduction, and the 20th anniversary of the return of the five victims, are the 20th anniversary of the abduction issue. The impatience that there is little time left for a solution is stronger than ever.
The fourth U.S. president to meet with the abductee's family
This is the fourth time President Biden has met the American president in the family of the abductee.
The first visit was in 2006, when Megumi Yokota's mother, Sakie Yokota, and her younger brother, Takuya, met with then-President Bush at the White House.
Former President Bush said, "It was the most moving meeting since his inauguration," and said he would work together to resolve it.
The second meeting was with President Obama when he came to Japan in 2014 (Heisei 26).
Shigeo Iizuka, the representative of the family association at the time, and Megumi Yokota's parents, Shigeo and Sakie, visited the guesthouse in Tokyo, and former President Obama said, "As a parent with two daughters, my beloved child. I understand the feeling of being abducted. I want to support him. "
I have met with former President Trump five years ago in 2017 and three years ago in 2019, both at the guesthouse in Tokyo.
At the meeting three years ago, five families each expressed their feelings for one minute to former President Trump, who raised the abduction issue at the two US-North Korea summit meetings, and cooperated for the return of all victims. I asked.
During the visit, former President Trump said to Sakie Yokota that she would meet her daughter Megumi.