September 26, 2023
Interviews

New film about North Korean abductions striking an emotional chord in Japan

“We can’t let our human rights be stolen” -- Film’s director discusses his motivations for making "The Pledge to Megumi"

North Korea’s abductions of Japanese nationals throughout the 1970s and 1980s continue to have a profound impact on Japanese society today. The most famous of these abductees is Megumi Yokota, who went missing as a 13-year-old girl after walking home from school in 1977.

It was later discovered that North Korea used Yokota as a language teacher for their spies, but what ultimately happened to her remains a mystery. Her family is convinced that she is still alive.