The night I made cream stew, my daughter didn't come home September 20, 16:33

Autumn 45 years ago.

Her daughter, who was in her seventh grade, was on her way home from school when she suddenly disappeared.

20 years of searching and searching, but no clues.

For the next 25 years, even if you have a clue of where you are, you are not allowed to meet at first sight.

I will do my best to welcome you.

At 86, I eat, walk, and live so that I never fall.

long-awaited first child

Megumi was born on October 5, 1964.

She was just before the Tokyo Olympics started.

I was 28 years old then.

She weighed 3260 grams and was the long-awaited first child.

After that, twin sons four years apart were also born, making it a family of five.

Megumi, who wanted her siblings, often took care of her younger brothers.

She sings along and jokes around.

When she went to Lake Shinji in Shimane, her husband told her that she could catch freshwater clams, so she stayed in the lake until late, and everyone was tanned bright red.

Megumi was a kind girl.

When she went to Hagi City in Yamaguchi Prefecture on a school trip in elementary school, she bought me a vase as a souvenir.

She said, "It's a color that your mother would like," and gave me a small amount of pocket money.

When I was in middle school, I was passionate about badminton.

In 1976, my family moved to Niigata prefecture due to my husband's job transfer.

The following year, she entered junior high school and Megumi joined the badminton club.

Actually, I have never seen Megumi-chan playing badminton.

That's why, I only know what I'm hearing from everyone, but when they say things like, "You were really good at it," or "You hit it with a lot of power," I thought, "Huh? right.

There was a time when I had to put a button on the uniform I wore in a badminton match to snap the bib that says "Yorii Junior High School No.".

Megumi-chan brought it home with me.

I said, ``You're a girl, and you're going to have to sew it yourself one day, so I'll show you how to put the buttons on.

Then I said, "Yes, am I the one who does all this?"

I used to say things like, ``Mom will put them on for you'', but I thought it would be better if I didn't do it, so I forced myself to do it.

Then everyone did it themselves.

The day before the disappearance, "I was stuck"

That was November 14th.

Megumi-chan was selected as a badminton player in Niigata City.

But he said, "I'm not confident, I'm in trouble."

"If you really don't like it, you should ask your teacher."

"Uh, what should I

do

?

" , I'll follow you to the teacher, too."

"It's not cool to have your parents follow you when you're in middle school, so it's okay

.

In fact, I had lost the doubles match in the rookie match the day before, and finished in 5th place.

"There are other people who are ranked 1st and 2nd, but why was I selected as a player to strengthen?"

I was a child who didn't want to stand out.

The day I made my favorite stew, Megumi didn't come back.

On that day, I took Takuya and Tetsuya (twin sons) to the dentist.

It's been a long wait, and by the time I finally get home it's already dark.

On the way home, I passed Megumi-chan's junior high school entrance, so I said, "I bet you're doing your best right now. I've never seen you play badminton, so let's take a look." is.

Then my sons said, "If you keep quiet and go see it, you'll get angry."

I think it was around 5:15pm.

So I prepare the rice.

I was making cream stew.

After that.

That's what happened.

Megumi Yokota, 45 years after the abduction

November 15, 1977.

It has been 45 years since Megumi Yokota, who was in her first year of junior high school, was abducted by North Korea.

This time, her mother, Sakie Yokota, said, "The most painful thing," while showing Megumi's badminton uniform, her memories with Megumi and her current state of mind. He told me.

It is said that on the day Megumi disappeared, Sakie initially thought that it was because of club activities.

That night, she filed a search request with the police, and even though a large-scale search was conducted, no belongings were found.

Megumi's photo was made public and her whereabouts continued to be searched for, but until the possibility of her being abducted by North Korea surfaced in 1997, Sakie and her family were forced to live an uncertain future. I was.

Five years later, in September 2002.

20 years ago from now.

At the Japan-North Korea summit meeting held during a visit to North Korea by Prime Minister Koizumi at the time, North Korea acknowledged the abduction and apologized, but explained that "Megumi died."

However, there were many contradictions and errors in that explanation, and in the 2004 Japan-North Korea working-level talks, the DNA of another person was detected in the remains that North Korea presented as "Megumi's".

Also, the age of the person listed in the document allegedly ``Megumi's chart'' presented by North Korea was different from Megumi's age at the time.

Sakie says she believes Megumi is still alive in North Korea, even though there is no evidence of her death, and she wants her to return home as soon as possible.

There is no solution without the parents' generation hugging the victims

The year before June 2020.

Her husband, Shigeru, who worked with her to rescue her daughter, passed away due to old age.

She has been hospitalized for over two years.

It was a picture of her Megumi that she always hung in her hospital room.

In the hospital room surrounded by her girlfriend Megumi's smile, Sakie said, "Maybe we'll meet again soon, so let's do our best."

However, her wish was in vain, and Shigeru passed away quietly.

Shigeru was 45 when her daughter was abducted.

She was 87 years old.

Currently, only two of the parents of the abductees whose safety is unknown are alive and well, including Sakie.

Sakie, who will be 87 years old next year, can't help but feel her body declining every day.

On the 1st of this month, we visited Mr. Sakie.

When she went shopping at the supermarket, she picked up meat, milk, and mozuku seaweed one after another.

When we heard the reason, we once again learned Sakie's determination.

"I want to do my best to welcome Megumi

, because I'm still alive. Food, walking, and many other things. I'm really doing my best not to die.

To come back.That's what I'm living for, so I'll do my best.I want to get it back.I want that child to step on the soil of Japan as soon as possible.I'm glad that he's grown up and is healthy.A glance is enough, oh, I'm glad." I want to make you think, and I want to think so too."

The latest activity policy compiled by Sakie's family group in March this year states:

“The abduction issue will not be resolved without the parents’ generation hugging the victims.”

There is a limit to the life of a family waiting for their relatives to return.

Is the government taking this reality squarely?

Has it reached the supreme leader of North Korea?

"45 years since the abduction".

“20 years since the Japan-North Korea Summit Meeting”.

It's easy to put into words, but if you think about it day by day, how much weight does it carry?

I would like to hope that this will be the last “turning point” that remains unresolved.

Reporter

Ryosuke Sasaki Joined the station

in 2014.

After working at the Tottori and Hiroshima stations, he assumed his current position.

He is in charge of the abduction issue by North Korea.

Reporter

Atsumi Fujishima Joined

in 2013.

After working at the Kochi and Kumamoto stations, he assumed his current position.

He is in charge of the abduction issue by North Korea.

Saki Fukui

Joined in 2011 as

Director of Political Science and International Programs .

After working at the Fukuoka Bureau and News Watch 9, she assumed her current position.

She covers international affairs, focusing on Japan-Korea relations and Asia.

Morisuke Fujita ,

Director of the Social Program Department Joined the station

in 2011.

After working at the Kanazawa Bureau and the Metropolitan Area Bureau, he assumed his current position.