Japanese Prime Minister Expresses Willingness for Summit with North Korea, Calls for Return of Abductees

A 'National Rally' demanding the return of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea was held in Tokyo on the 11th. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also attended and stated, "I want to directly engage in high-level consultations to realize a Japan-North Korea summit meeting. I will work even harder to achieve this."

Prime Minister Kishida also added, "Direct dialogue between leaders and building relationships are crucial for tackling various challenges that are not easy to resolve."

At the rally, bereaved families who have been separated from their loved ones for decades due to the North Korean regime's abduction of Japanese citizens took to the stage and tearfully appealed for the safe return of their abducted family members. The Japanese government has officially recognized 17 Japanese abduction victims by North Korea, but it is believed that the actual number of victims is much higher.

While the routes and timing of the abductions of these victims vary, it has been confirmed that many Japanese citizens were abducted by North Korean operatives in various parts of Japan from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Most of them were young people in their teens and twenties, lured into abductions by North Korean agents posing as illegal immigration brokers.

The Japanese government intends to further strengthen its pressure on North Korea and diplomatic efforts to rescue the abducted victims, taking this national rally as an opportunity. The families of the abducted victims are also crying out that their peaceful lives may be the last, urging the government and the people to join forces and devise prompt measures.