Tomoe, the mother of Takeshi Terakoshi from Ishikawa Prefecture, who went missing in the Sea of Japan when he was 13 years old 61 years ago and was later found to be in North Korea, has passed away.
She was 92 years old.
Tomoe Terakoshi is the mother of Takeshi Terakoshi from Shiga Town, Ishikawa Prefecture, who disappeared while fishing in the Sea of Japan off the coast of the Noto Peninsula in 1963 at the age of 13.
Twenty-four years later, in 1987, it was revealed that she was living in North Korea, and Tomoe went to North Korea to reunite with her girlfriend Takeshi.
In 2002, Takeshi briefly returned to Japan as a member of a delegation from a North Korean labor organization, setting foot on his homeland for the first time in 39 years.
However, after that, free travel was not possible, and Mr. Tomoeda continued to visit North Korea regularly, and since 2009, when Mr. Tomoeda had visited North Korea more than 50 times, Mr. We are asking for your cooperation in realizing the free movement of people.
Regarding Takeshi's disappearance, Tomoe said, ``At the time, I thought it might have been an abduction.However, after we met again, Takeshi said, ``It wasn't an abduction.'' "As a parent, I want to protect Takeshi, who lives in North Korea, by believing in his words."
Tomoe passed away on the 25th due to respiratory failure.
She was 92 years old.
Her wake and funeral will be held exclusively by her family.