Families of Japanese abductees angry over N. Korea's announcement to halt investigation

Family members of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea have expressed anger and concern over Pyongyang's decision to disband a special committee tasked with looking into the whereabouts of the missing Japanese citizens after Tokyo imposed tougher sanctions against North Korea following the recent de facto missile launch. At the same time, the abductees' families said they strongly hoped that the Japanese government patiently continues negotiations with its neighbor over the issue.

Shigeru Yokota, 83, the father of Megumi Yokota who went missing when she was 13 years old, defended the Japanese government's move to strengthen sanctions on North Korea after Pyongyang launched a de facto long-range ballistic missile, saying that North Korea had failed to respond to Japan, though the families waited for a long time, after the so-called Stockholm agreement in May 2014 in which Pyongyang promised Tokyo to conduct investigations into abductees.

"North Korea subsequently went ahead with a nuclear test and then a de facto missile launch. I understand why the Japanese government toughened sanctions (against Pyongyang)," Shigeru said, adding, "We are asking for proof that Megumi and other abductees will come back. I hope that the Japanese government will continue to negotiate with North Korea to get that proof."

Megumi's mother, 80-year-old Sakie, said, "I had anticipated this since North Korea has never been a country that complies with (Japan's) demands, but we families (of the abductees) do not know what to do. We have been suffering for a long time and all we ask is for our daughter to come back home safely. I want everyone to ask our government for a solution."

Teruaki Masumoto, 60, whose sister was abducted by North Korea when she was 24 years old, said, "I didn't know what North Korea's intentions were after the Stockholm agreement regarding the investigation over the abductees. But it is possible that Pyongyang has nothing to tell us from the investigation since they haven't reported anything new at all."

Masumoto added, "Japan has more urgent issues than its responses to Pyongyang's nuclear test or ballistic missile launch, and that is the issue of Japanese abductees." He urged the Japanese government to impose tougher sanctions against Pyongyang, saying, "We have learned that Japan needs to lead the international community in pushing North Korea into a corner."

Akihiro Arimoto, 87-year-old father of Keiko Arimoto, who went missing when she was 23 years old, expressed anger over Pyongyang's announcement that it had disbanded the special investigation committee, saying it was "a predictable move." He added, "North Korea may snuggle up to Japan when the situation calms down. The Japanese government should not ease sanctions against Pyongyang."

Hajime Matsumoto, 69, brother of abductee Kyoko Matsumoto, commented, "I'd thought North Korea would do something after Japan tightened its sanctions, but did not expect them to go this far." He added, "North Korea may have felt threatened by the tougher sanctions and probably wants the sanctions to be lifted. ... Now they might launch another missile. I feel that it has become difficult to solve the abduction issue."