Classmates of Megumi Yokota on Thursday donated cherry trees to a junior high school in the city of Niigata that they had attended when the then 13-year-old was abducted by North Korea.
On April 10, 1977, Megumi's father, Shigeru, photographed her standing in front of cherry trees at Yorii junior high school. Seven months later, she was kidnapped by North Korean agents while on her way home from school.
With some trees that were blooming in the photo already reaching old age, Megumi's classmates decided to gift new trees to the school to pray for her swift return home.
On Thursday, the classmates planted five cherry tree saplings at the school.
"We'd like her to come home (right away) as early as even tomorrow," said Masaki Ikeda, 60 and one of the classmates, voicing hopes for Megumi to be reunited with her 89-year-old mother, Sakie.
Ikeda then phoned Sakie to tell her about the newly planted saplings.
Sakie said she hopes the Japanese government will do all they can to bring back all Japanese abductees from North Korea, so that Megumi can come home safe and sound to look at the cherry blossoms.
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