Soga's arrival a step closer to reunion<\/p>\n
Adianto P. Simamora, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A Japanese woman who was abducted by North Korea and
\nrepatriated after 24 years arrived here on Thursday to reunite
\nwith her husband, an alleged U.S. army deserter, and daughters --
\nbut first she had to get past the media pack.<\/p>\n
More than 50 correspondents from the international print and
\nelectronic media covered the arrival of Hitomi Soga at the
\nIntercontinental Midplaza Hotel in Central Jakarta, with Japanese
\nTV stations broadcasting the event live.<\/p>\n
Although she looked tired after flying for seven hours from
\nTokyo, Soga, smiled and waved to the reporters and Japanese
\nonlookers who cried out,\"Soga-san\".<\/p>\n
From the airport to the hotel, Soga was accompanied by Japan's
\nspecial advisor to the Indonesian Cabinet, Kyoko Nakayama, and
\nJapanese Ambassador to Indonesia Yutaka Iimura. Wearing a brown
\nsuit, she was greeted at the hotel lobby with a bouquet of tiger
\nlilies by a small Indonesian girl.<\/p>\n
\"Now I can meet my family after one year and nine months
\nthanks to the cooperation of the Indonesian government,\" Soga
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Indonesia agreed to host the reunion as Jakarta does not have
\nan extradition treaty with the United States. The U.S. wants
\nSoga's husband, Charles Robert Jenkins, on charges of desertion
\nfrom the U.S. army. American Secretary of State Colin Powell last
\nweek said the U.S. would not oppose the reunion although it still
\nviewed Jenkins as a deserter.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, a young Japanese woman, who is married to an
\nIndonesian citizen, said she waited for more than three hours at
\nthe hotel just to see Soga's arrival.<\/p>\n
\"I am very happy to be here. It's great Soga-san can meet
\nagain with her family in Indonesia. As a housewife in an
\ninterracial marriage, I can empathize. I feel this is also my
\nproblem,\" Otsuka told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
There was speculation about whether Jenkins and their two
\ndaughters would bring their dog along with them when they arrive
\nin Jakarta on Friday afternoon.<\/p>\n
A Reuters report said there was speculation that if Jenkins
\nbrought the dog, it meant he would not be returning home to North
\nKorea.<\/p>\n
Soga was a 19-year-old student nurse in Sado island, when
\nNorth Korean agents kidnapped her and brought her to the
\nStalinist state in 1978. She fell in love with Jenkins, her
\nEnglish teacher, and they married in 1980. Japanese Prime
\nMinister Junichiro Koizumi later succeeded in persuading North
\nKorean leader Kim Jong-il to release Soga and four other abducted
\ncitizens.<\/p>\n
However, Jenkins and their two daughters decided to stay in
\nthe country because they feared he would be extradited to the
\nU.S. for his desertion. His family insists Jenkins was also
\nabducted by North Korean agents when patrolling the Demilitarized
\nZone between North and South Korea in 1965. He was 24 years old
\nat the time.<\/p>\n
Jenkins, Mika and Belinda will arrive from Korea on Friday
\nafternoon and Soga will greet them at the airport. It is still
\nnot known how long they will stay in Indonesia. Japan is now
\nnegotiating with the U.S. to enable Jenkins go to Japan with his
\nfamily while avoiding a U.S. prosecution.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sogas-arrival-a-step-closer-to-reunion-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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