Kishida Respects Abductee Families' Position on N. Korea Aid

Tokyo, March 1 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday that he will "take to heart" a recent decision by a group of families of Japanese nationals kidnapped by North Korea decades ago to conditionally tolerate humanitarian aid to North Korea.

At a meeting with Kishida on the day, members of the group explained its decision not to oppose such aid if all remaining abductees are returned home together while family members of their parents' generation are still alive.

"We must take to heart your pressing thoughts," Kishida said in response.

Takuya Yokota, 54, head of the family group, requested the prime minister to realize a Japan-North Korea summit at an early date.

Kishida reiterated his willingness to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un without preconditions.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]