Ishiba at Japanese Abductees' Families Rally: "Will Pursue Japan-North Korea Dialogue for Breakthrough"

"Cooperating with the United States and the International Community"

Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan, attended a rally of families of Japanese abductees held in Tokyo, Japan on the 24th, and stated that he would work with the international community to find solutions for the prompt return of the abductees.

According to Kyodo News and NHK, Prime Minister Ishiba emphasized at the rally that "the abduction issue is a violation of national sovereignty" and stressed, "In order to make a breakthrough, the leaders of Japan and North Korea must engage in candid dialogue and face each other directly." He added that he would further strengthen responses to the North Korean side through various channels.

Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan. Photo by Yonhap News

Prime Minister Ishiba stated, "At the summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in February, I confirmed full support for resolving the abduction issue," and pledged to seek understanding and cooperation from the international community, including the United States.

Approximately 800 people participated in the rally. The participants adopted a resolution stating that if all abductees return home while their parents are still alive, they would not oppose the Japanese government's humanitarian aid to North Korea or the lifting of Japan's unilateral sanctions.

Among the parents of abductees recognized by the Japanese government as being in North Korea, the only survivor is Sakie Yokota, the mother of Megumi Yokota, who was abducted in 1977.

The Japanese government claims that 17 of its citizens were abducted to North Korea and that 12 remain there. However, North Korea asserts that of the 12, eight have died and four never entered the country, and therefore maintains that there are no issues to be resolved.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.