Story: In 1977, Ms. Megumi Yokota, a 13-year-old girl, disappeared on her way home from school. It was revealed later on that she was abducted by North Korea. This film features the anguish of Megumi’s family and their desperate effort to bring her back home.
How many people around the world know that many Japanese have been abducted by North Korea?
The Japanese government has recognized that 16 Japanese have been victims of abduction, but there appears to be a large number of other victims. Not only Japanese but also people from other nations have been abducted, including 485 Koreans, Lebanese, Rumanians, and Thais. It is unbelievable that this kind of atrocity has been actually carried out. These victims were taken by North Korean spies. It is assumed that the abductions were carried out so that North Koreans could learn the languages and customs of different countries to aid their espionage activities. North Korea has never admitted to these abductions until recently. However, it was not until Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi visited North Korea in 2002 that North Korea officially admitted to 13 abductions. Later, five Japanese abductees were allowed to return to Japan and North Korea announced that all the other abductees had died. One of the Japanese abductees who was pronounced dead was YOKOTA Megumi, who was abducted in 1977 （she was 13 years old at the time） and who married a North Korean man and had a daughter. However, after a DNA examination of bones that were supposed to have been hers, it was discovered out that they were not hers. In spite of Japan’s protests, the North Korean government has not responded sincerely. Megumi’s mother, Sakie and Megumi’s brother Takuya, who realized that this issue is not moving forward, met U.S. President BUSH directly and appealed to him after giving her testimony at a public hearing in the American Congress. The president said, “I can hardly imagine that the leader of a nation promoted abduction,” and he promised to cooperate to rescue the abductees. As a result of another DNA examination, there is a high possibility that Megumi’s husband is also a Korean abduction victim. North Korea is just like a kidnapper, who tries to exchange the abductees for economic support. Their counterfeiting of U.S. dollars and smuggling of drugs are being detected. How should the world deal with this government?
23:04 Mr. Noel Paul Stookey, a singer and a member of the American folk song group Peter, Paul and Mary, performed a song which he had written in dedication to Ms. Megumi Yokota, one of the abductees, at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence.
Although recorded in Japanese, you can choose subtitles in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish.
Japasene
ENGLISH
Korian
German
French
Italian
Spanish