North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens

Abductions of Japanese citizens from Japan by agents of the North Korean government took place during for six years from 1977 to 1983. 

Although only 17 Japanese (eight men and nine women) are officially recognized by the Japanese government as having been abducted, there may have been hundreds of victims. 

The North Korean government has officially admitted to kidnapping 13 Japanese citizens.

There are testimonies that many non-Japanese citizens, including eight citizens from European countries and one from the Middle East, have been abducted by North Korea.

The National Association for the Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea or NARKN (北朝鮮に拉致された日本人を救出するための全国協議会 or simply 救う会全国協議会) was created in 1998 by the Yokota family. The purpose of NARKN is to help the families of Japanese kidnapped victims to find their loved ones.

References

Category:1970s in Japan
Category:History of North Korea
Category:1980s in Japan