Sakie Yokota, 88, is once again urging for the return of her daughter Megumi, who was abducted by North Korean agents. As Megumi turns 60 on Saturday, Sakie expressed her desire to simply hug her daughter and see her live a healthy life. Megumi was taken in 1977 when she was in junior high school. Despite her disappearance, Sakie has continued to prepare a birthday cake for Megumi every year. However, this year she revealed feeling empty and sees Megumi’s photo displayed in their home daily.
During a recent press conference in Kawasaki, Sakie shared a small dark green vase that Megumi had bought for her as a souvenir during an elementary school trip to Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture. According to Sakie, when giving the vase to her mother, Megumi mentioned how beautiful she thought the color was. This gesture touched Sakie deeply as it showed how considerate and thoughtful her daughter was.
The parents of the abductees are growing older with each passing day. In light of this fact, Sakie emphasized the importance of dialogue between Japan and North Korea’s leaders. She hopes they can look each other in the eye and discuss the issue at hand. Ultimately, Sakie wants all abductees to be returned home by North Korea through any means necessary but acknowledges that time may not be on their side.
As another year passes without answers or resolution regarding their missing loved ones’ whereabouts or well-being, families like Yokota’s continue to hold onto hope while enduring immense pain and uncertainty.
