Free at last, free at last
There has been an interesting bit of news in the Japanese media lately. You can’t turn on the TV without getting an update it seems. Last month there was an admission by the North Korean government that they had abducted 13 Japanese people by force 24 years ago. Of those 13 only 5 remain alive today. They were abducted to provide intelligence and to help NK agents learn the Japanese language so that they could infiltrate Japan. The NK government of course claims that those agents were working independently and have since been punished, yeah right. I don’t buy into Bush’s Axis Of Eviltm thing that pollutes a brain of someone wearing his aluminum hat to tight (damn aliens are always trying to read your mind). But the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il, has issues with aluminum hats himself. I don’t think he is crazy but honesty is not his forte, he did tell Tokyo that he doesn’t have a nuclear program but proof was brought forward he admitted the program existed. ’Oh, that nuclear program.’ Ok, he’s turned a new leaf and wants to play nice in the sandbox, especially for a new non-aggressions treaty with Japan.
All the living abductees are currently in Japan visiting family and friends they haven’t seen in 24 years. Looks like a real circus when they go out in public but there all very good-natured and very surprised at their reception. The abductees have grown children they did not bring with them and do not know they are really Japanese (Lucy, you have some splaining to do). One of the children, 15-year-old Kim Hye-gyong, does know she is half Japanese. Her mother, Megumi Yokota, was abducted when she was 13 years old. In 1993 Megumi killed herself, so say NK. It is confirmed that Kim Hye-gyong is the daughter of Megumi but the governments are trying to figure out what to do. Japan is willing to welcome all with open arms and give all the children citizenship. Japan has even gone as far as promising permanent residency in Japan to the American defector that is the husband of one of the abductees. He won’t come to Japan until he has assurance that he won’t deported to the states once he comes over.
I’ve read conflicting reports that NK says it’s Ok for anyone who wants to go back to Japan should go, then another report that not so positive. In either case no one ever says no. So I hope to see the abductees giving a choice, something that’s not afforded to anyone else in NK.
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