List of Kidnapped Japanese

June 10 -- There are eight cases involving Japanese nationals that the Japanese government officially suspects of having been caused by North Korea, involving 11 people in total. However, the families of as many as 70 missing persons say they should also be on this list.

Hiroshi Kume, a 52-year-old guard, was allegedly kidnapped on Sept. 19, 1977, after he stayed at a coastal inn. A North Korean with a permanent residential status was later picked up by the police and said "a secret agent ordered me to pick any 52- or 53-year-old Japanese man in solitude ... and to hand him over to another agent." However, the Korean was not indicted because the police could not prove Kume went unwillingly.

Megumi Yokota, a 13-year-old junior high school girl, disappeared on her way home from school in the early evening on Nov. 15, 1977. At first, there were suspicions Yokota was kidnapped because she stumbled across North Korean agents. However, authorities subsequently said they suspect her kidnap was probably ordered.

(http://sukuu-kai.ram.ne.jp)

Yaeko Taguchi, allegedly disappeared after leaving her two infant children in a nursery in Tokyo in June 1978. Kim Hyong Hi, a North Korean terrorist who later defected, said Taguchi was called Lee Un Hae in North Korea and had taught her Japanese mannerisms in January 1988. However, Taguchi's brother and sister, who have been taking care of her children, kept silent on the issue fearing it could have a negative influence on the children. Police revealed the situation in 1991, but kept Taguchi's name private.

(http://sukuu-kai.ram.ne.jp)

(http://sukuu-kai.ram.ne.jp)

Yasushi Chimura, a 23-year-old carpenter, and Fukie Hamamoto, his 22-year-old fiancee, disappeared after leaving a restaurant on July 7, 1978. Chimura's car was found with the key still in the ignition parked beside an observatory overlooking the coast. Authorities said the couple was engaged nine days before and had no motive to disappear. A North Korean agent who later defected said she saw a Japanese man at their training camp who was adept at carpentry.