Families Hold Signature Campaign for Early Return of Abductees

   Tokyo, April 26 (Jiji Press)--A signature campaign was held in Tokyo on Saturday to call for the early return of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea decades ago.
   Some 20 people participated in the campaign in the Japanese capital's Ginza district, including Takuya Yokota, 56, leader of a group of abductee families, and his twin brother, Tetsuya. Megumi Yokota, the older sister of Takuya and Tetsuya, was abducted by North Korea in 1977 when she was 13.
   The participants also included members of an organization of people supporting the abductee families. It was the first time in 12 years for the family group and the supporter organization to hold such a campaign together.
   "We don't have time," Takuya said, showing a sense of urgency. Noting that his 89-year-old mother, Sakie, is now the only parent of the remaining abductees who is still alive, Takuya said, "We'll do anything we can for the reunion of all abductees in Japan."
   Signature-collecting activities for the rescue of the abductees started after the establishment of the family group in 1997, with the number of signatures gathered reaching 19.23 million as of Saturday.

(2025/04/26-21:34)