Government of Japan held events on the abduction problem in the US.
To raise awareness on the abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea
among the international community, the Government of Japan held events
in Washington D.C. and New York in May 2013. The events were attended by
the Minister of State for the abduction issue, Keiji Furuya.
Since the federal government of the US and UN Headquarters are located
there, the events have helped officials, researchers, diplomats and citizens
deeply understand the abduction problem, and have strengthened the international
cooperation to resolve the problem.
The events were also attended by Mr. Shu Watanabe, Member of Japanese
Diet from the opposition party, DPJ, which symbolizes the bipartisan efforts
in Japan to resolve the problem.
1. International Symposium (Washington D.C)
Time: May 2 (Thu) 15:00-17:00
Venue: Japan Information and Culture Center
Number of Participants: Approximately 130
Speakers
- Kenichiro Sasae, Ambassador of Japan to the US
- Keiji Furuya, Minister of State for the abduction issue(①)
- Robert King, US Special Envoy on the North Korean Human Rights Issue
- Tsutomu Nishioka, Chairman, National Association for the Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea (NARKN)
- Kazuhiro Araki, Representative, Investigation Commission on Missing Japanese Probably Related to North Korea (COMJAN)
- Victor Cha, Senior Advisor, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
- Shigeo Iizuka, family member of an abduction victim(②)
- Teruaki Masumoto, family member of an abduction victim
- Shichiro Kobayashi, family member of a missing person
Key note Speech by Minister Furuya (English)
①
②
2. International Symposium (New York)
Time: May 3 (Fri) 16:00-18:00
Venue: Japan Society Auditorium
Number of Participants: Approximately 250
(Including diplomats from at least 13 countries)
Speakers
- Keiji Furuya, Minister of State for the abduction issue
- Maarit Kohonen Sheriff, Deputy Head of the New York Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Tsutomu Nishioka, Chairman, National Association for the Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea (NARKN)
- Kazuhiro Araki, Representative, Investigation Commission on Missing Japanese Probably Related to North Korea (COMJAN)
- Melanie Kirkpatrick, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute
- Shigeo Iizuka, family member of an abduction victim
- Teruaki Masumoto, family member of an abduction victim
- Shichiro Kobayashi, family member of a missing person
3. Panel Display (New York)
Time: May 3 (Fri) 10:00-19:00
Venue: Japan Society Murase Room
Contents
- Panel Display (Government of Japan, NARKN, COMJAN)(③)
- Video Showing (Japanese animation “Megumi”)(④)
③
④
