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Citizens meeting in L.A. organized by support group NRSP
Abductees' kin's visits to the U.S. and Europe
The abductees' relatives visited the U.S. and Europe in April 2003 to seek help from the American people and the United Nations in resolving the abduction issue.| Group 1: Los Angeles (April 16-23, 2003) | |
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| Members: Shigeru and Tetsuya Yokota, Ryuko Ichikawa, Fumiyo Saito (+ volunteers Takeshi Suguro, Kiyoko Hirayama, Tomoyasu Tamaki, Kentaro Ueno) | |
| April 16 | Press conference at Narita Airport (Terminal 2) Leave Tokyo (5:20 P.M. JL62) Arrive Los Angeles (11:15 A.M.) Visit the Japanese American National Museum (P.M.) Press conference later in the afternoon at the hotel. |
| April 17 | Citizens' Meetings at Genmai Koso Genki Club (16142 S. Western Ave., Gardena, CA 90247 Phone: 310-324-9777) Session 1 (10-12 A.M.), Session 2 (1-4 P.M.) and Session 3(6-8 P.M.) |
| April 18 | Meeting with officials from the Consulate General, etc. and the press. (TBA) |
| April 19 | Citizens' Meeting at Japanese American Culture and Community Center (244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA 90012; 1:30-3:30 P.M.) Press conference later in the afternoon at the hotel. |
| April 20 | Citizens' Meeting at Japanese American Culture and Community Center (244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA 90012; 1:30-3:30 P.M.) Press conference later in the afternoon at the hotel. |
| April 21 | Meeting with officials from the Consulate General, etc. and the press. (TBA) Press conference later in the afternoon at the hotel. |
| April 22 | Leave Los Angeles (1:05 P.M. JL61) Arrive Tokyo (4:25 P.M.) Press conference at Narita Airport (Terminal 2) |
| For details, contact: | NSRP nrsphart@yahoo.co.jp |
| Group 2: Geneve (April 20-24, 2003) | |
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| Members: Sakie and Takuya Yokota, Shigeo Iizuka, Kayoko Arimoto, Fumiko Hirano (+Shoichi Nakagawa (chairman of Diet members' association against North Korean kidnapping), Akitaka Saiki (Deputy Director General of the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau), Takashi Okada (Cabinet Office official in charge of supporting victims of abduction), Yoichi Shimada) | |
| April 20 | Press conference at Narita Airport (Terminal 2) Leave Tokyo (11:35 P.M. NH209) Arrive Frankfurt (4:35 P.M.) Leave Frankfurt (5:55 P.M. LH5440) Arrive Geneve (7:00 P.M.) |
| April 21 | Prepare for presentation at U.N. on April 22. |
| April 22 | Meet with members of the U.N. Commision on Human Rights and the Red Cross.(A.M.) Attend a working group session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. (3-4 P.M.) Press conference (5 P.M. at the U.N. HQ). |
| April 23 | Leave Geneve (2:55 P.M. LH3645) Arrive Frankfurt (4:20 P.M.) Leave Frankfurt (8:35 P.M. NH210) |
| April 24 | Arrive Tokyo (2:40 P.M.) Press conference at Narita Airport (3:00 P.M. Terminal 2) |
Abductions and the U.N.The National Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea ("Kazoku Kai") and the National Association for the Rescue of Kidnapped Japanese by North Korea ("Sukuu Kai") representatives Teruaki Masumoto and Kazuhiro Araki visited the U.N. Headquarters in Geneve on April 9, 2001 to ask for deliberation on the issue of abduction by North Korea. The Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights held 3 deliberations before stopping on November 2002. "Not enough information offered by countries concerned" was the reason for the cease.
Kazoku Kai and Sukuu Kai, following the acknowledgment of the issue by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in September 2002, asked the Commission to resume deliberations. The Working Group is holding a hearing on April 22 in Geneve to listen to them in person. Documents submitted to the U.N. prior to this hearing can be found here.
Media Coverage
Kyodo News)The Japan Times)Kyodo News) The Washington Times)(C)2002-2003 by THINK (Their Home Isn't North Korea). All rights reserved.