New film about North Korean abductions striking an emotional chord in Japan | NK News
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September 19, 2026Sep 19, 2026

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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.

There have been a plethora of books, films, documentaries, comics and other publications based on Yokota’s life, making her a household name