Suga To Raise Abduction Issue In Talks With Biden
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide says he will make an appeal to US President Joe Biden for support in resolving the abduction issue of Japanese nationals by North Korea at the upcoming Japan-US summit.
On Wednesday, Suga talked with a group of abductees' relatives, including Yokota Sakie, the mother of abductee Yokota Megumi.
The group handed to Suga a message addressed to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. It states that they remain determined not to hinder the process of normalizing Japan-North Korea relations, if all abductees are returned at once.
Suga said he will seek help from Biden in resolving the abduction issue during the summit planned for Friday next week.
Suga said he will try to get the US president to understand how important the abduction issue is for Japan.
Suga stressed the importance of Japan acting vigorously on its own to realize the return of the abductees. Suga said he is ready to meet the North Korean leader without preconditions.
Yokota said she has spent decades agonizing over the fate of her daughter Megumi. She said bringing Megumi back to Japan is her family's only wish.