拉致問題「解決に向け協議を」　地村さん、帰国２０年で会見―福井

　北朝鮮による拉致被害者の地村保志さん（６７）が２００２年の帰国から２０年となる１５日、福井県小浜市内で記者会見した。２０年がたっても拉致問題に具体的な進展が見えない中、政府に対し「口先ばかりで訴えても、解決への道は開けない。水面下や実務者での協議を進めてほしい」と訴えた。
　地村さんは１９７８年７月、当時婚約中だった妻富貴恵さん（６７）とともに同市にある小浜公園の展望台で拉致された。（2022/10/15-18:17）

Yasushi Chimura ,a former Japanese abductee to North Korea, called on the Japanese government to advance talks with Pyongyang to resolve the abduction issue, at a press conference Saturday, which marked 20 years since he and four other abductees returned to Japan.
   At the press conference in the city of Obama, Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, Chimura, 67, urged the government to "proceed with behind-the-scenes or working-level talks," instead of just saying that it is determined to resolve the issue.
   Chimura was kidnapped together with his then fiance and current wife, Fukie, 67, at an observation deck in a park in Obama in July 1978.
   "After returning home (on Oct. 15, 2002), we were very anxious as we had to restart our life from zero," Chimura said. He expressed his gratitude for support from local government officials and former schoolmates.
   Fukie said she now lives on pension after retiring as a nonregular worker at the Fukui prefectural government. She added that she is "relieved" that their three children, who came to Japan in May 2004, have settled in Japan and now live independent.