Japanese Woman Trapped in North Korea for 40 Years

In June 1961, the family boarded a ship from Niigata bound for North Korea. His death came as North Korea was entering an even deeper crisis. In 2001, nearly 40 years after arriving in North Korea, Saito was presented with an unexpected opportunity. A daughter and grandchild remain in North Korea. After eight years of litigation, the Tokyo District Court ruled in January 2026 that North Korea must pay a combined 88 million yen in damages.