Prime Minister Kishida met with the families of the victims who were abducted by North Korea. I conveyed my thoughts on responding without excluding options.
On March 1, Takuya, the younger brother of Megumi Yokota, who is the representative of the Kazokukai, visited the prime minister's official residence and handed over the new activity policy of the Kazokukai, which was compiled on February 26, to Prime Minister Kishida. .
Based on the aging of the family, the activity policy states, "If everyone can return home while their parents are still alive, the government will not object to providing humanitarian assistance to North Korea." I was.
Prime Minister Kishida said, "The abduction issue is a serious humanitarian issue with a time limit, and we cannot allow even a moment's delay. It is important for Japan to act proactively. I am determined to meet directly with the general secretary."
He then touched on the phrase "not objecting to the provision of humanitarian assistance" in the activity policy, and said, "We must take seriously that we are appealing for our sincere feelings. We will continue our efforts with all our might." I conveyed my intention to respond without excluding all options, including providing humanitarian assistance to North Korea.
Takuya Yokota, Representative of the Abduction Victims' Family Association "Accepting the Desperate Thoughts"
After meeting with Prime Minister Kishida, the families of the abductees responded to the press corps' request for concrete action to quickly resolve the abduction issue, which has a limited amount of time as the families waiting to return to Japan are aging. made it clear.
Among them, Takuya Yokota, the younger brother of Megumi Yokota, who is the representative of the family association, said, "My family's parents are in their 80s and 90s, and they are not feeling well, and they are facing the harsh reality that they have no time left. Originally, we, the victims, are not talking about making concessions to North Korea in the form of ``humanitarian aid,'' but since there is no time left for a solution, we express our desperate feelings that made us express this message. I would like Prime Minister Kishida to take it head-on."
Koichiro Iizuka, the eldest son of Yaeko Taguchi, said, "I told the Prime Minister, 'I want the victims to be recovered while the parents' generation is still healthy.' I would like you to work on it."
More than 40 years have passed since the abductions, and the families of the victims, who are aging, released a new message to General Secretary Kim Jong-un on February 26, stating, "If the return of North Korea is realized, I will not object to the government providing humanitarian assistance to North Korea," he said for the first time.
I strongly urged the government's efforts to use this as a card and Kim's decision.