Search｜Photos & Images & Videos｜KYODO NEWS IMAGES INC

Rally of abductees' families

Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, speaks during a rally seeking the early return of other abductees in Tokyo on Nov. 3, 2025.

E

Ex-abductee seeks early return of remaining abductees

Former Japanese abductee Hitomi Soga (R) collects signatures in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, on Oct. 5, 2025, calling for new Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi to pave the way for holding direct negotiations with North Korea to bring back all the remaining abductees, including her mother, to Japan. Soga, 66, returned from North Korea in 2002 following a Japan-North Korea summit in Pyongyang.

E

Ex-abductee seeks early return of remaining abductees

Former Japanese abductee Hitomi Soga (R) collects signatures in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, on Oct. 5, 2025, calling for new Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi to pave the way for holding direct negotiations with North Korea to bring back all the remaining abductees, including her mother, to Japan. Soga, 66, returned from North Korea in 2002 following a Japan-North Korea summit in Pyongyang.

E

Ex-abductee seeks early return of remaining abductees

Former Japanese abductee Hitomi Soga (L) collects signatures in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, on Oct. 5, 2025, calling for new Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi to pave the way for holding direct negotiations with North Korea to bring back all the remaining abductees, including her mother, to Japan. Soga, 66, returned from North Korea in 2002 following a Japan-North Korea summit in Pyongyang.

E

World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025

Tobi Amusan (L) of Nigeria and Hitomi Nakajima of Japan compete in a women's 100-meter hurdles heat at the World Athletics Championships at National Stadium in Tokyo on Sept. 14, 2025.

E

Former abductee Soga

Former Japanese abductee Hitomi Soga speaks during a rally in Saitama near Tokyo on Sept. 20, 2025, calling for a united effort to bring back all the remaining abductees to Japan. Soga, 66, returned from North Korea in 2002 following a Japan-North Korea summit in Pyongyang.

E

World Athletics Championships in Tokyo - Day 2

Nakajima Hitomi of Japan crosses the finish line during the women's 100m hurdles heat at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, September 14, 2025. Photo by Jia Haocheng /Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

World Athletics Championships in Tokyo - Day 2

Nakajima Hitomi (rear) of Japan hugs Lotta Harala of Finland after the women's 100m hurdles heat at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, September 14, 2025. Photo by Jia Haocheng /Xinhua/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

World Athletics Championships

Hitomi Nakajima, a 110-meter hurdles player, speaks during a prep-up meeting for Japanese athletes in Tokyo on Sept. 4, 2025, ahead of the World Athletics Championships, which open at the National Stadium in the Japanese capital on Sept. 13. (Pool photo)

E

World Athletics Championships

Hitomi Nakajima, a 110-meter hurdles player, speaks during a prep-up meeting for Japanese athletes in Tokyo on Sept. 4, 2025, ahead of the World Athletics Championships, which open at the National Stadium in the Japanese capital on Sept. 13. (Pool photo)

E

40th anniversary of fatal JAL jet crash

Actor Hitomi Kuroki prays at the site of the 1985 Japan Airlines jetliner crash on Osutaka Ridge in the Gunma Prefecture village of Ueno, northwest of Tokyo, on Aug. 12, 2025, the 40th anniversary of the accident that claimed the lives of 520 passengers and crew, including her classmate at the Takarazuka Revue all-female musical theater troupe.

E

40th anniversary of fatal JAL jet crash

Actor Hitomi Kuroki visits the site of the 1985 Japan Airlines jetliner crash on Osutaka Ridge in the Gunma Prefecture village of Ueno, northwest of Tokyo, on Aug. 12, 2025, the 40th anniversary of the accident that claimed the lives of 520 passengers and crew, including her classmate at the Takarazuka Revue all-female musical theater troupe.

E

40th anniversary of fatal JAL jet crash

Actor Hitomi Kuroki visits the site of the 1985 Japan Airlines jetliner crash on Osutaka Ridge in the Gunma Prefecture village of Ueno, northwest of Tokyo, on Aug. 12, 2025, the 40th anniversary of the accident that claimed the lives of 520 passengers and crew, including her classmate at the Takarazuka Revue all-female musical theater troupe.

E

Japanese ex-abductee Soga

Former Japanese abductee Hitomi Soga speaks during an interview in her hometown Sado, Niigata Prefecture, on Dec. 18, 2024. Soga, 65, was abducted to North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002.

E

Petition to bring back those abducted to N. Korea

Hitomi Soga (far L), a Japanese woman who was abducted by North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, collects signatures in Sado in Niigata Prefecture on Dec. 14, 2024, for a petition calling for the return of the remaining abductees, including her mother Miyoshi, who was kidnapped with her.

E

Petition to bring back those abducted to N. Korea

Hitomi Soga (L), a Japanese woman who was abducted by North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, collects signatures in Sado in Niigata Prefecture on Dec. 14, 2024, for a petition calling for the return of the remaining abductees, including her mother Miyoshi, who was kidnapped with her.

E

Japanese ex-abductee at rally in northeastern Japan

Former Japanese abductee Hitomi Soga speaks during a rally in Akita city, northeastern Japan, partly hosted by Akita Prefecture on Nov. 30, 2024, to call for the return of Japanese abducted by North Korea. Soga, 65, was abducted to North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002.

E

Rally of abductees' families

Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, speaks during a rally seeking the early return of other abductees in Tokyo on Nov. 23, 2024.

E

Event on North Korean abduction issue

Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, speaks to reporters on Nov. 16, 2024, after attending an event in the central Japan city of Niigata, to mark the 47th anniversary of the abduction of Megumi Yokota. Yokota was abducted by North Korea at age 13 on Nov. 15, 1977, and has become a symbol of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s.

E

Ex-Japan abductee speaks in western Japan

Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, speaks to teachers at a high school in Zentsuji in the western Japan prefecture of Kagawa on Oct. 17, 2024.

E

Ex-Japan abductee speaks in western Japan

Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, speaks to teachers at a high school in Zentsuji in the western Japan prefecture of Kagawa on Oct. 17, 2024.

E

Meeting on abduction issue

Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, makes a speech during a gathering on the abduction issue in Kawaguchi near Tokyo on Jan. 27, 2024.

E

Gathering in support of Japanese abductees by N. Korea

Tokyo, Japan Kyodo - Video taken on Nov. 23, 2023, shows the talk event between Sakie Yokota and Hitomi Soga at a gathering organized by fellow Christians in Support of Yokota in Tokyo. (Kyodo)

E

Gathering in support of Japanese abductees by N. Korea

Sakie Yokota (L), whose daughter Megumi was abducted to North Korea at age 13 in 1977, talks with Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea at age 19 in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, in front of Megumi's image projected on the screen at a gathering organized by fellow Christians in support of Yokota in Tokyo on Nov. 23, 2023.

E

Gathering in support of Japanese abductees by N. Korea

Sakie Yokota (L), whose daughter Megumi was abducted to North Korea at age 13 in 1977, talks with Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, at a gathering organized by fellow Christians in support of Yokota in Tokyo on Nov. 23, 2023. Soga, who was 19 when she was abducted, lived with Megumi for about 18 months in North Korea.

E

Petition calling for return of N. Korea abductees

Hitomi Soga (R), a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, collects signatures in Sado in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, on Aug. 18, 2023, for a petition calling for the return of the remaining abductees.

E

Petition calling for return of N. Korea abductees

Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman who was abducted to North Korea in 1978 before being repatriated in 2002, speaks to reporters in Sado in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, on Aug. 18, 2023, at an event to collect signatures for a petition calling for the return of the remaining abductees.

E

Ex-Japan abductee to N. Korea meets PM Kishida

Hitomi Soga (C, L), a former Japanese abductee to North Korea, submits a letter of request to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (C ,R) at his office in Tokyo on July 5, 2023, asking the premier to hold summit talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to ensure all those abducted by the country can reunite with their families.

E

Ex-Japan abductee to N. Korea meets PM Kishida

Hitomi Soga (L), a Japanese woman abducted to North Korea decades ago before being repatriated in 2002, meets with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at his office in Tokyo on July 5, 2023.

E

Athletics: Houston Marathon

Japan's Hitomi Niiya poses for photos at a press conference on Jan. 23, 2023, in Tokyo after winning the Houston Marathon women's title in Texas on Jan. 15.

E

Athletics: Houston Marathon

Japan's Hitomi Niiya speaks at a press conference on Jan. 23, 2023, in Tokyo after winning the Houston Marathon women's title in Texas on Jan. 15.

E

Athletics: Houston Marathon

Japan's Hitomi Niiya speaks at a press conference on Jan. 23, 2023, in Tokyo after winning the Houston Marathon women's title in Texas on Jan. 15.

E

Athletics: Houston Marathon

Japan's Hitomi Niiya speaks during a post-race press conference after winning the Houston Marathon women's title in Texas on Jan. 15, 2023.

E

Athletics: Houston Marathon

Japan's Hitomi Niiya poses wearing a cowboy hat after winning the Houston Marathon women's title in Texas on Jan. 15, 2023.

E

Athletics: Houston Marathon

Japan's Hitomi Niiya crosses the finish line to win the Houston Marathon women's title in Texas on Jan. 15, 2023.

E

Athletics: Houston Marathon

Japan's Hitomi Niiya poses wearing a cowboy hat after winning the Houston Marathon women's title in Texas on Jan. 15, 2023.

E

PM Noda returns from India

TOKYO, Japan - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, accompanied by first lady Hitomi (behind Noda), arrives at Haneda airport in Tokyo on Dec. 29, 2011, after holding talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi the previous day.

E

Japan PM Noda greeted by Indian PM Singh

NEW DELHI, India - Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (2nd from R) and his wife Gursharan Kaur (R) greet Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda (2nd from L) and his wife Hitomi (L) in New Delhi on Dec. 28, 2011.

E

Japan PM Noda arrives in India

NEW DELHI, India - Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda (R) and his wife Hitomi (C) arrive in New Delhi on Dec. 27, 2011.

E

Fukushima woman urges U.S. to help end Japan's use of nuke power

NEW YORK, United States - Yayoi Hitomi (2nd from L), representing the Japanese grassroots group "Fukushima Action Project," speaks at a gathering in New York on Jan. 29, 2014, calling on U.S. citizens to join her compatriots in demanding the Japanese government abandon the use of nuclear power following the March 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

E

N. Korean abduction victims' kin at concert for return of abductees

TOKYO, Japan - Shigeru and Sakie Yokota (far R, 2nd from R), parents of Megumi, a symbol of the abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea, and Hitomi Soga (far L), a former abductee repatriated in 2002, attend a government-hosted concert in Tokyo on Dec. 8, 2014, for the return of the abductees.

E

Soga joins campaign for prompt release of abduction victims

NIIGATA, Japan - Hitomi Soga (L), who was abducted by North Korea in 1978 and returned to Japan in 2002, engages in a signature-collection campaign in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, on Aug. 22, 2014, to urge the North Korean government for the prompt release of other abductees.

E

Onishi sprints in women's T42 100m dash

TOKYO, Japan - Hitomi Onishi (2nd from L) takes part in the T42 class of the women's 100 meter dash at the Kanto track and field championship for the disabled held in Machida, Tokyo, on July 5, 2014. She won the race.

E

Ex-abductee calls for return of other abduction victims

NIIGATA, Japan - Hitomi Soga (C), a Japanese national who was abducted by North Korea, asks people to sign a petition for the return of other abduction victims including her mother in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, in April 2014.

E

Returned abductee Soga speaks in Sado

NIIGATA, Japan - Hitomi Soga, a Japanese national abducted by North Korea, speaks in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, on July 8, 2014, saying she hopes for the return of all abductees.

E

Ex-abductee Soga's family arrives at Haneda, July 2004

TOKYO, Japan - Former abductee by North Korea Hitomi Soga (C), her husband Charles Jenkins and their first and second daughters Mika (L) and Brinda (back) arrive at Haneda airport in Tokyo in July 2004.

E

Returned abductee Soga meets lawmakers

NIIGATA, Japan - Hitomi Soga (C), one of Japanese nationals who were abducted to North Korea but returned home later, attends a meeting in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, northeastern Japan, on April 21, 2014, with members of a House of Representatives special committee on the abduction issue.

E

Ecuador attack site

GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador - A Jan. 6, 2014, photo shows the site in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where a Japanese honeymooning couple were found lying the previous month. The husband, Tetsuo Hitomi, 28, died and his wife, Mariko, 27, was seriously injured in the robbery case.

E

Wrestling voted back in for Tokyo Olympics

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Japan Wrestling Federation President Tomiaki Fukuda (L) and Olympic wrestling gold medalist Hitomi Obara pose for photos in Buenos Aires on Sept. 8, 2013, after wrestling was chosen for inclusion for a single berth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at the International Olympic Committee's general session.

E

Ex-triple-jump record holder promoting business in U.S., Japan

CARLSBAD, United States - Photo taken June 25, 2013, shows Willie Banks, a former triple-jump world record holder of the United States, and his wife Hitomi, a native of Nagoya, Japan, at their home in Carlsbad, California.