TOKYO —

The government will start distributing from April an English version of a manga featuring Megumi Yokota, a Japanese girl abducted by North Korea in 1977, as part of its efforts to raise the world’s awareness of the abduction issue, government officials said Wednesday. The government has also made a 30-minute anime, based on the manga titled ‘‘Megumi,’’ which will be available for free download from the website of its abduction issue headquarters from 5:30 p.m. on Friday, they said.

They have also made English, Chinese and Korean versions of the anime. The manga, originally serialized in a comic book, was published in book form in 2005. The story was authored by Yokota’s parents, Shigeru and Sakie, and illustrated by cartoonist Soichi Moto. The government plans to distribute the translated version of the manga to Japanese embassies, educational institutions and libraries abroad, said Kyoko Nakayama, special adviser to Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on the issue of North Korea’s abductions of Japanese nationals. The website of the Headquarters for the Abduction Issue is http://www.rachi.go.jp.

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6 Comments

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  lipscombe at 09:54 PM JST - 26th March

  but will ban all english or chinese language versions of certain delicate subjects...well, well.

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  Hikozaemon at 10:56 PM JST - 26th March

  Like what?

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  eastokyo at 06:01 AM JST - 27th March

  Sorry I don't think the Chinese and Koreans will empathise much with you gov. A handful of people abducted is not really comparable to invading, occupying and slaying tens of thousands. And as for the English version, they'll have a hard time drumming up a care factor. Barking up the wrong tree here. Waste of money.

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  borscht at 06:23 AM JST - 27th March

  Hikosaemon, the government didn't ban but certainly have expressed their desire not to see books distributed in Japan that are critical of the handling of Masako-sama, the Nanking Massacre, and Yasukuni Shrine (film). To mention just three in the last two years.

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  Hikozaemon at 09:12 AM JST - 27th March

  People in government have expressed their disagreement with books and movies published in Japan about those topics, but none of these have been banned. Unlike China or North Korea, the information on those topics that some in government find disagreeable is still available to anyone interested. People dismiss Japan as no better than or different to China or Korea, but I think this is a key area of difference.

  As for the abduction thing, a waste of money perhaps, but at least Japan is doing something for its citizens in North Korea, unlike South Korea, although I am hopeful that president Lee will turn up the heat on North Korea and end the years of compliant madness of Roh, at the expense of his own citizens and the hundreds of South Korean abductees still held by the North Korean government.

  Waste of money or not, I don't see anything wrong with the government taking steps like this to maintain pressure on Kim Jong Il.

  Peace

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  westurn at 11:17 PM JST - 27th March

  Maybe they can start distributing manga of Tokyo Governer Ishihara's constant racist remarks also. Just a thought eh !

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