Relatives Urge N. Korea to Release Abductees

   Tokyo, May 4 (Jiji Press)--Relatives of Japanese people kidnapped by North Korea decades ago urged the reclusive country Sunday to release the abduction victims early.
   "We want you to release our beloved family members held as hostages," Takuya Yokota, head of an association of families of abductees, told a press conference in Tokyo, making this plea to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
   The press conference was held after members of the association, including Yokota, 56, returned from a trip to the United States earlier in the day.
   During the visit, the association members and Japanese lawmakers working to realize the return of abductees met with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and other U.S. officials in Washington to seek their cooperation to resolve the major humanitarian issue as early as possible.
   This was the first visit to the United States by members of the association since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.

(2025/05/04-21:13)