Meeting between the Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea and Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Representative of the United States to the United Nations

　On April 18th, starting at around 9:50 am, for approximately 55 minutes, Representative YOKOTA Takuya and Secretary-General IIZUKA Koichiro of the Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea (AFVKN) and other families of abductees met with Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Representative of the United States to the United Nations (UN) at the Prime Minister’s office.

　The meeting was attended by Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Chief Cabinet Secretary and Minister in Charge of the Abduction Issue, Mr. FUKUMOTO Shigenobu, Vice-Minister of the Secretariat of the Headquarters for the Abduction Issue, and Mr. HAMAMOTO Yukiya, Deputy Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

　The families of the abductees explained the new policy approach of the AFVKN and the National Association for the Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea (NARKN) and asked for understanding of the U.S. and the U.N. In addition, they expressed their dearest wishes to see their loved ones as soon as possible, and requested continued understanding and cooperation from the U.S. on this matter.

　Minister HAYASHI expressed his appreciation to the Ambassador for her efforts so far on the abductions issue, and added that this issue is not a historical subject, but an ongoing issue in which the abductees are still deprived of their freedom and unable to return home. He also stated that not only the abductees themselves, but also their families who are present today are also aging, which leaves us no time to lose and asked for continued cooperation from the U.S. to realize the earliest possible return of all the abductees.

　Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield sincerely listened to the families of the abductees for the entire time, and assured them that the U.S. commitment is not dependent on any political parties and administrations and that she would continue to raise this issue and help to amplify the families’ voices in New York.