Will North Korea compensate Japanese citizens lured into ‘paradise on Earth’?

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Julian RyallJanuary 29, 2026 at 12:52 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

A Tokyo court recently ordered North Korea to compensate Japanese citizens, awarding 22 million yen (US$144,000) each to three plaintiffs and the family of a deceased claimant. These individuals were lured to North Korea with promises of a "paradise on Earth" but later escaped and returned to Japan. North Korea did not participate in the court proceedings. The plaintiffs' lawyer anticipates North Korea will ignore the judgment and is preparing to enforce it under Japanese civil law by identifying and seizing North Korean assets in Japan. The plaintiffs are now working to create an inventory of North Korean assets within Japan to begin the seizure process.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Eiko Kawasaki 60% Tokyo District Court 60% Tokyo ×270% Kenji Fukuda ×270% Japan ×480% North Korea ×690%

Keywords

north korea 100% compensation 90% japanese citizens 80% court ruling 70% seize assets 60% repatriation program 60% civil enforcement 50% legal action 50%