Abducted by North Korea, Megumi and Hitomi Soga Share a Special Bond

Hitomi Soga returned to Japan in 2002 after North Korea released her and four other Japanese it abducted years earlier. In an interview, she discusses her special bond with fellow abductee Megumi Yokota. "Megumi was a source of strength, someone who made me feel I wasn't alone," she reflects. "She felt like my younger sister. Yet she was so dependable she also seemed like a teacher." At the time she was abducted, Megumi was just 13.

The two lived together in North Korea for a time.

Second of three parts

Part one: Megumi Yokota, Abducted by North Korea: A Brother's Commitment

Her Sweet Dimples

In August 1978, when Soga was 19 years old, she was abducted from her hometown of Sado, Niigata by North Korean agents. Her captors took her to a guesthouse in Mangyongdae on the outskirts of Pyongyang where she was confined. Incidentally, Megumi, who had been abducted the previous year, was also being held here.

"With a cheerful smile and her sweet dimples, she greeted me with a warm 'Hello,'" Soga recounts. Megumi expressed concern for Soga's scraped leg. Her leg was hurt when the agents assaulted Soga and her mother, Miyoshi (46 at the time, now 92).

"When I shared my story, Megumi said they took her on her way home from afterschool club activities," Soga relates. "It was surprising to see such a small child in a place like that. We both realized we were in the same situation."

A Silent Reunion

Hitomi Soga talks about her time with Megumi Yokota. When they lived together in North Korea, Megumi was a source of mental support. September 23, Sado City, Niigata Prefecture (©Sankei by Hideyuki Matsui).

At the guesthouse, guards maintained a watchful presence. During the day, the young girls spoke Korean as much as possible. However, at night, they would quietly converse in Japanese. Sometimes, they would softly sing children's songs like "Autumn Leaves" and "Hometown."

"What stands out in my memory," Soga says, "is the time we talked about the smell of our mothers. Megumi said, 'My mom smells of a lovely perfume.'" In contrast, Miyoshi, who worked in a factory, smelled of machine oil. "We laughed at just how different they are," Soga shares.

"She also shared stories about her twin brothers, proudly exclaiming, 'They're so adorable!' It was clear that she missed her family deeply."

Although they were separated into different guesthouses several times, they lived together for a total of about eight months. They were separated around May 1980. The last time Soga saw Megumi was around 1986 when she ran into her at a foreign currency shop in Pyongyang.

"I wanted to run up and hug her to celebrate our reunion, but the supervisors were watching, so I couldn't," Soga recounts. "When our eyes met, I felt relieved to see she looked well. Still, it was a tough moment."

Forced to Lie

In the September 2002 summit in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Il unilaterally claimed that Megumi had "died." Subsequently, North Korean officials claimed that she had "committed suicide due to mental illness in a hospital in March 1993." Afterward, however, they changed the date of her death to April 1994.

Additionally, scientific testing revealed that the "remains" they presented as Megumi's were fake. To this day, there is no objective evidence to support her death.

Concerning Megumi's well-being, Soga explained that she also encountered North Korea's deceptive tactics.

On the day of her return to Japan, the North Korean authorities informed her that Megumi's daughter, Kim Eun Gyong, was at the airport. She had come to see her off in Pyongyang. According to Soga, "She bore a striking resemblance to Megumi, and I recognized her instantly. After we embraced, I asked, 'Where is your mother?'"

*Hitomi Soga embraces Megumi Yokota's daughter, Kim Eun Gyong (right), who had come to see her off on the day of her return to Japan. October 15, 2002, Pyongyang.*

Kim muttered, "She's passed away." "Without making eye contact, she cried in my arms," Soga recalls. "I knew right away that someone had told her to say that.

Holding On to Hope

North Korea communicated Kim Eun Gyong's explanation to the Yokota family through the repatriated abductees. They attempted to cement the narrative of Megumi's death and close the chapter on the abduction issue. Reflecting on the moment, Soga recalls, "I distinctly felt that Megumi must be somewhere else." She asserts with conviction, "Megumi is definitely still alive."

North Korea has never admitted to Soga's mother's presence in the country, even though agents abducted Miyoshi alongside her daughter. "If she's not in North Korea, where else could she be?" asks Soga.

"They are the two people I long to see again," she affirms. Then she expressed her wish for them. "Please stay strong and healthy. Don't lose hope. Our hearts are united."

Continues in last part: Megumi Yokota Forever in the Thoughts of Her Best Friend