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Rally of abductees' families

Hitomi Soga, a Japanese woman who was abducted by North Korea in 1978 and repatriated in 2002, speaks during a rally seeking the early return of other abductees in Tokyo on May 30, 2026, holding a watch given by her mother Miyoshi, who was taken with Soga and remains missing.

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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.

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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.

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Repatriated abductee still awaiting mother's return from N. Korea

NIIGATA, Japan - Repatriated Japanese abduction victim Hitomi Soga collects donations in her hometown Sado, Niigata Prefecture, on Oct. 7, 2012, for rescuing other abductees who may still be alive in North Korea, including her mother Miyoshi.

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Soga urges LDP's Abe to seek her missing mother

TOKYO, Japan - Hitomi Soga (L), a former Japanese victim of North Korean abduction, meets governing Liberal Democratic Party Acting Secretary General Shinzo Abe at the party headquarters in Tokyo on May 12. She urged Abe to try to locate her missing mother Miyoshi, believed abducted by North Korea.

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(5)Five abductees, now and 24 years ago

TOKYO, Japan - Hitomi Soga, 43, was abducted by North Korea on Aug. 12, 1978 along with her mother Miyoshi. She married a former U.S. soldier who had defected to North Korea in 1965.

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Police add Soga, mother, 2 men to abduction list

TOKYO, Japan - The National Police Agency on Oct. 8 adds Hitomi Soga (L in top), her mother Miyoshi Soga (R in top), Toru Ishioka (L in bottom) and Kaoru Matsuki to its list of Japanese believed abducted to North Korea. Hitomi Soga and her mother disappeared from Sadogashima Island in Niigata Prefecture in 1978. Ishioka, from Sapporo, and Matsuki, from Kumamoto, are said to have been lured to North Korea from Spain in June 1980.

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Police to add Soga, her mother to abduction list

TOKYO, Japan - The National Police Agency is preparing to add Hitomi Soga (L) and her mother, Miyoshi (R), who disappeared together from Niigata's Sadogashima Island in 1978, to its list of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea, police sources said Oct. 7.

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(2)5th survivor on N. Korea list can be Niigata nurse

NIIGATA, Japan - Shigeru Soga, a resident of Sadogashima Island in Niigata Prefecture, speaks at a news conference in Niigata on Sept. 20. He said his daughter Hitomi and his wife Miyoshi both went missing on Aug. 12, 1978.

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Soga urges LDP's Abe to seek her missing mother

TOKYO, Japan - Hitomi Soga (L), a former Japanese victim of North Korean abduction, meets governing Liberal Democratic Party Acting Secretary General Shinzo Abe at the party headquarters in Tokyo on May 12. She urged Abe to try to locate her missing mother Miyoshi, believed abducted by North Korea. (Kyodo)

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N. Korean abduction victim

Hitomi Soga, a former Japanese abduction victim of North Korea, makes a speech in Niigata, northwest of Tokyo, on Sept. 7, 2020. Her mother Miyoshi went missing after the two were abducted by North Korea in 1978.

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Returned abductee seeks early resolution of N. Korea abduction issue

Hitomi Soga, one of five Japanese abductees repatriated to Japan from North Korea in 2002, collects signatures seeking an early resolution of the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals, in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, on Aug. 18, 2017. Soga was abducted to North Korea in 1978 with her mother Miyoshi, who is still missing. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Returned abductee seeks early resolution of N. Korea abduction issue

Hitomi Soga, one of the five Japanese abductees repatriated to Japan from North Korea in 2002, speaks to reporters in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, on Aug. 18, 2017. Soga attended an event to collect signatures seeking an early resolution of the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals. Soga was abducted to North Korea in 1978 with her mother Miyoshi, who is still missing. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Signature-collecting campaign to rescue Japanese abducted to N. Korea

Hitomi Soga (L), one of the five abductees repatriated to Japan from North Korea in 2002, collects signatures in Sado, Niigata Prefecture, on Dec. 10, 2016, calling on the Japanese government to take action to rescue those abducted to North Korea, including her mother Miyoshi. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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(5)Five abductees, now and 24 years ago

TOKYO, Japan - Hitomi Soga, 43, was abducted by North Korea on Aug. 12, 1978 along with her mother Miyoshi. She married a former U.S. soldier who had defected to North Korea in 1965.

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Police add Soga, mother, 2 men to abduction list

TOKYO, Japan - The National Police Agency on Oct. 8 adds Hitomi Soga (L in top), her mother Miyoshi Soga (R in top), Toru Ishioka (L in bottom) and Kaoru Matsuki to its list of Japanese believed abducted to North Korea. Hitomi Soga and her mother disappeared from Sadogashima Island in Niigata Prefecture in 1978. Ishioka, from Sapporo, and Matsuki, from Kumamoto, are said to have been lured to North Korea from Spain in June 1980. (Kyodo)

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Police to add Soga, her mother to abduction list

TOKYO, Japan - The National Police Agency is preparing to add Hitomi Soga (L) and her mother, Miyoshi (R), who disappeared together from Niigata's Sadogashima Island in 1978, to its list of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea, police sources said Oct. 7. (Kyodo)

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(2)5th survivor on N. Korea list can be Niigata nurse

NIIGATA, Japan - Shigeru Soga, a resident of Sadogashima Island in Niigata Prefecture, speaks at a news conference in Niigata on Sept. 20. He said his daughter Hitomi and his wife Miyoshi both went missing on Aug. 12, 1978. (Kyodo)