TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru met Thursday with the families of citizens abducted decades ago by North Korea, their first meeting since he took office on Oct. 1.

“The abductions are violations of national sovereignty,” Ishiba said in the meeting at the prime minister’s office. “We will take the most effective measures.”

He expressed willingness to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to resolve the abductions, saying, “It is extremely important for leaders to frankly express their views to each other with a broad perspective.”

Takuya Yokota, leader of a group of abductee families, expressed opposition to Ishiba’s proposal to establish liaison offices in Tokyo and Pyongyang.

“It will only lead to (the North Korean side) buying time and putting an end to the abductions issue,” said Yokota, the younger brother of Megumi, who was abducted at the age of 13 in 1977.

Sakie Yokota, the mother of Megumi, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, who is in charge of the abductions issue, also attended the meeting.

JIJI Press