A: Hey there, have you heard the news?
B: Nope, what's up?
A: Well, it looks like the families of Japanese nationals who were abducted by North Korea are hoping that our new Prime Minister, Takaichi Sanae, can resolve this issue soon.
B: Oh, really? That's been going on for a while now, huh?
A: Yeah, it's been since 1997! A guy named Yokota Takuya, whose sister was abducted when she was just 13, met with Takaichi along with some other relatives.
B: Wow, that must be tough for them. I can't even imagine what they've been through.
A: Exactly! And get this, their moms were there too. One of them, Sakie Yokota, is the only surviving parent of an abductee whose whereabouts are still unknown, and she's 89 years old!
B: That's heartbreaking... I wonder how they feel when they meet with the Prime Minister.
A: Well, Yokota Sakie said she's met with a few former prime ministers but nothing has changed. But she thinks Takaichi might be different because she's Japan's first female PM.
B: I see... I hope so too. Iizuka Koichiro, whose mom was abducted when he was just one, also met with Takaichi. He said during the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership race, she promised to do everything possible to bring all the abductees home at once.
B: That sounds promising! Fingers crossed...
A: Yeah, let's keep hoping for a breakthrough and a resolution soon. It's been a long time coming.
B: Nope, what's up?
A: Well, it looks like the families of Japanese nationals who were abducted by North Korea are hoping that our new Prime Minister, Takaichi Sanae, can resolve this issue soon.
B: Oh, really? That's been going on for a while now, huh?
A: Yeah, it's been since 1997! A guy named Yokota Takuya, whose sister was abducted when she was just 13, met with Takaichi along with some other relatives.
B: Wow, that must be tough for them. I can't even imagine what they've been through.
A: Exactly! And get this, their moms were there too. One of them, Sakie Yokota, is the only surviving parent of an abductee whose whereabouts are still unknown, and she's 89 years old!
B: That's heartbreaking... I wonder how they feel when they meet with the Prime Minister.
A: Well, Yokota Sakie said she's met with a few former prime ministers but nothing has changed. But she thinks Takaichi might be different because she's Japan's first female PM.
B: I see... I hope so too. Iizuka Koichiro, whose mom was abducted when he was just one, also met with Takaichi. He said during the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership race, she promised to do everything possible to bring all the abductees home at once.
B: That sounds promising! Fingers crossed...
A: Yeah, let's keep hoping for a breakthrough and a resolution soon. It's been a long time coming.
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Summary
Japanese abductee families hope new Prime Minister, Takaichi Sanae, can resolve the decades-old issue of North Korean abductions. Notable cases include Yokota Takuya and Iizuka Koichiro, whose relatives met with Takaichi. Yokota Sakie, an 89-year-old survivor and mother of an abductee with unknown
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ID: ed134f93-700c-4aab-b1ac-8d1cba084f79
Category ID: conversation_summary
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20251023_18/#conversation
Date: Oct. 23, 2025
Notes: 2025-10-23
Created: 2025/10/23 21:40
Updated: 2025/12/07 23:37
Last Read: 2025/10/23 21:42