North Korean Abductions of Japanese Citizens - Victims Officially Recognized By The Japanese Government

Victims Officially Recognized By The Japanese Government

Seventeen nationals are officially recognized by the Japanese government as victims of the abduction issue. The sixteenth, Minoru Tanaka, was added to the list on April 27, 2005, following discovery of evidence supporting the assertion that he was abducted. The seventeenth victim, Kyoko Matsumoto, was added to the list in November 2006.

Name Sex Born Circumstances of disappearance Current status
Yutaka Kume Male ca. 1925 Disappeared September 19, 1977 from Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture North Korea denies any involvement
Megumi Yokota Female October 15, 1964 Disappeared November 15, 1977 from Niigata, Niigata Prefecture Allegedly died March 13, 1994 in North Korea
Minoru Tanaka Male ca. 1950 Disappeared June 1978. Persuaded to go overseas, and taken to North Korea later. North Korea denies any involvement
Yaeko Taguchi Female August 10, 1955 Disappeared June 1978 from an undetermined place. Allegedly died July 30, 1986 in North Korea.
However, Kim Hyon Hui, the surviving bomber of Korean Air flight 858, denied North Korea's claim.
Yasushi Chimura Male June 4, 1955 Disappeared July 7, 1978 together with his fiancee Fukie Hamamoto near coast of Obama, Fukui. Alive (returned)
Fukie Hamamoto Female June 8, 1955 Disappeared July 7, 1978 together with her fiance Yasushi Chimura near coast of Obama, Fukui. Alive (returned)
Kaoru Hasuike Male September 29, 1957 Disappeared July 31, 1978 with his girlfriend Yukiko Okudo from coast of Kashiwazaki, Niigata. Alive (returned)
Yukiko Okudo Female April 15, 1956 Disappeared July 31, 1978 with her boyfriend Kaoru Hasuike from coast of Kashiwazaki, Niigata. Alive (returned)
Hitomi Soga Female May 17, 1959 Disappeared together with her mother Miyoshi Soga August 12, 1978 from Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture Married Charles Robert Jenkins, a deserter from the United States Army, in 1980, and returned to Japan with him in 2004.
Miyoshi Soga Female ca. 1932 Disappeared together with her daughter Hitomi Soga August 12, 1978 from Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture North Korea asserted that Miyoshi Soga never entered the country.
Rumiko Matsumoto Female November 1, 1954 Disappeared August 12, 1978 from Fukiage, Kagoshima Prefecture, together with her boyfriend Shuichi Ichikawa Allegedly died August 17, 1981 in North Korea
Shuichi Ichikawa Male October 20, 1954 Disappeared August 12, 1978 from Fukiage, Kagoshima Prefecture, together with his girlfriend Rumiko Matsumoto Allegedly died September 4, 1979 in North Korea
Toru Ishioka Male June 29, 1957 Disappeared May 1980 from Madrid, Spain during a trip in Europe Allegedly died November 4, 1988 in North Korea
Kaoru Matsuki Male June 23, 1953 Disappeared May 1980 from Madrid, Spain during a trip in Europe Allegedly died August 23, 1996 in North Korea
Tadaaki Hara Male August 10, 1936 Disappeared June 1980 from Miyazaki, Miyazaki Prefecture Allegedly died July 19, 1986 in North Korea
Keiko Arimoto Female January 12, 1960 Disappeared June 1983 from Copenhagen, Denmark while studying English abroad Allegedly died November 4, 1988 in North Korea.
Kyoko Matsumoto Female 1948 Disappeared October 21, 1977 on her way to knitting class near her home As of 2010, North Korea has given no response to Japanese demands.

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