JAPAN Forward launched its “Ignite” series of English essays to directly share the voices of students in Japan with their global peers. It is a privilege to share the thoughts and ideas of these future leaders. One is a senior high school student, Towako Ishikawa. She raises global awareness about North Korea’s abduction of young Japanese in this 32nd winning essay in the series, Ignite.
Annually, the Headquarters for the Abduction Issue holds a North Korean Human Rights Violations Awareness Week Essay Contest for junior and senior high school students across the country. (The Government of Japan established the Headquarters, an organization led by the Prime Minister and composed of all the Ministers of State, to resolve the abductions issue.) It aims to raise awareness of the abduction issue through viewing films and stage plays, reading books related to the issue, and other opportunities to help the students understand the feelings of abduction victims and their families.
The winning 2025 English essayists were honored in person at the Government of Japan’s December 13, 2025, Symposium on the Abductions Issue. Using her international upbringing, Towako Ishikawa emphasizes that the voice of every individual counts. Please listen.
Thirty-second in the Series, ‘Ignite’
Senior High School student Towako Ishikawa presents her Grand Prize-winning essay to the audience on December 13. (©Prime Minister’s Office)
Towako Ishikawa
Winner of the 2025 North Korean Human Rights Violations Awareness Week Senior High School English Essay Grand Prize
“How could such a tragedy happen here?” As I walked the path from Megumi Yokota’s middle school to her home, this question lingered in my brain.
Having learned about the North Korean abduction recently, I decided to go to Niigata and visit the very place where Megumi was abducted. A plain and almost familiar road, with no indication of any danger. I would have never guessed that such a horrendous crime was committed in such an ordinary setting.
I also had the opportunity to listen to a lecture this February in Nagano by Takuya Yokota, the younger brother of Megumi. Through his words, I truly felt the pain of not only Megumi, but also her family. I was deeply moved by their relentless efforts to spread awareness so that the incident would not be a distant memory. This issue isn’t just about Megumi Yokota either. There are 17 people confirmed to have been abducted, and around 880 people who may have been taken by North Korea. As Mr Yokota told us, the families of the victims keep fighting every day. We mustn’t forget that they are all wishing to be reunited.
Individual Efforts Count
So why is it that this crime hasn’t been solved yet, and what can we do to resolve it? I believe that a big factor is the decline of interest, especially within the younger generation. I was never taught of this issue at school, and it seems to be the case for many other students nowadays. I heard that even the students in Niigata take the story of Megumi as a history lesson, not an ongoing problem.
I firmly believe that worldwide cooperation is crucial in resolving this issue, since it is deeply affected by international relations. However, during the 5 years I spent in Russia and the US, I had never heard the problem being mentioned. This needs to change. I have taken my first steps of spreading the word by informing my friends and teachers I met abroad. Although this may seem like nothing compared to the monstrous scale of the crime, each individual effort we make counts.
Bringing the Issue to Resolution
As the families of the victims grow older, it is more necessary than ever to bring awareness to this issue. We are not powerless in this situation. Every word that we use to discuss the issue helps to prevent the story of all the victims from being forgotten. With the rise of social media, our generation is capable of spreading information far and wide at a very fast pace. Making use of this, I plan to disseminate videos by collaborating with the people I have met across the globe and bring the abduction issue onto a global stage.
We must acknowledge the crime as something that involves each and every one of us, and actively seek any solutions to this problem. Just as the families of the victims keep fighting, we must also fight to see the North Korean abduction issue to an end.
Chief Cabinet Secretary and Minister for the Abductions, Minoru Kihara, presents Towako Ishikawa with the Senior High School Grand Prize for an English Essay during 2025 North 2025 North Korean Human Rights Violations Awareness Week. December 13, 2025 (©Prime Minister’s Office)
About the Author
When she wrote this essay, Towako Ishikawa was an 11th-grade student at a private high school in Tokyo. She first learned about the abduction issue from the brother of Megumi Yokota. Visiting the place where North Korean agents abducted the junior high school student inspired Ishikawa to write this essay. She shared this comment upon receiving the Grand Prize for her English language essay:
“The abduction issue is a top priority that Japan must address. Each and every one of us raising our voices about the abduction issue brings us one step closer to a resolution. Let’s leave apathy behind and work together to elevate this issue to a global issue.”
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Author: Towako Ishikawa, Student
At a private senior high school in Tokyo
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