Visiting US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield met with family members of Japanese victims of abduction by North Korea on April 18.
She met with several family members including Yokota Sakie, the mother of Yokota Megumi, along with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa. The meeting was held at the request of the Ambassador. Thomas-Greenfield said that the administration of President Joe Biden remains committed to calling for the return of abducted Japanese citizens to their families. In return, the families asked for continued support in resolving the abduction issue. After the meeting, Yokota said that all the families want is for the victims to be returned, and for everything to go back to the way it was. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi expressed his determination to resolve the issue as soon as possible, saying, “There is no time to lose.”