Japanese Abductee Families Pin Hope on Biden

Tokyo, Nov. 8 (Jiji Press)--Families of Japanese citizens abducted to North Korea on Sunday expressed hopes that Joe Biden will work to resolve the abduction issue once he takes office as U.S. president. "Biden is expected to work on the abduction issue," said Shigeo Iizuka, the 82-year-old leader of a group of abductee families and brother of Yaeko Taguchi, an abduction victim. But Iizuka expressed concerns that the abduction issue may be left behind as the United States has race, the coronavirus pandemic and many other issues that need to be addressed. "The Japanese government should continue to urge the U.S. side to act," Iizuka said. Kenichi Ichikawa, the 75-year-old brother of Shuichi, an abductee, said U.S. President Donald Trump's failure to win a second term is "somewhat regrettable" because he had an interest in the abduction issue and acted. "But this is the time to build a relationship of trust with Biden" to resolve the issue as early as possible, Ichikawa said. END