Megumi Yokota, who was abducted by North Korean agents at the age of 13, celebrated her 60th birthday on Saturday. Yokota was kidnapped in 1977 while on her way home from junior high school in Niigata. Kaoru Hasuike, who was also abducted in 1978 and lived in the same district as Yokota for over seven years under North Korean control, spoke about Yokota’s desire to return to Japan and his own anger towards Pyongyang.
According to Hasuike, in the autumn of 1986, Yokota moved to a mountain village called Taeyang-ri where “guesthouses” had been built. She went there with her husband who had been abducted from South Korea. The Hasuikes and Chimuras were already living in the village at that time. In this village located north of Pyongyang’s center, Yokota gave birth to a daughter named Kim Eun Gyong.
Hasuike recalls that they were able to move around relatively freely within the village. He remembers seeing Yokota often taking walks with her husband and daughter in a stroller. The three families would frequently visit each other and have meals together. Sometimes, the Hasuikes would even look after Eun Gyong while Yokota made sakuramochi rice cakes for them using rationed ingredients.
However, there were instances when Yokota tried to escape from the guesthouse but was brought back twice. It is believed that she may have been attempting to return to Japan during those times.
In March 1994, Choe Sun Chol – a North Korean agent involved in abductions – took Yokota along with others to a “local hospital.” After this incident, she was never seen again by Hasuike or any of the other abductees.
Before his return to Japan, Choe told Hasuike that he should inform authorities that he heard about Yokota’s death. However, when asked if it was true or not by Hasuike himself later on, Choe simply replied with instructions on what he should say instead.
Initially claiming that Megumi had died in March 1993 through an official document submitted to Japan’s government; North Korea later changed its explanation stating she had been hospitalized until October 1993 before passing away in April 1994.
Hasuike expressed his anger towards these claims made by Pyongyang saying he never heard anything about her death during his time at the guesthouse nor did he ever see any remains belonging to Megumi.
After returning home from captivity himself; Hasuike became an instructor at Niigata Sangyo University before becoming a specially appointed professor there now as well as working as a translator for South Korean books.