Ahead of the week starting on Dec. 10, which is designated as a week for raising awareness of North Korea’s human rights violations, Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu announced that all cabinet ministers have been asked to wear blue ribbons during the week as a symbol of the movement calling for bringing home the victims of North Korea’s abductions. The announcement was made at a press briefing on Dec. 7.

Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko also said she will wear a blue ribbon throughout the week when asked if she would do so by the Liberal Democratic Party’s Komatsu Daisuke at the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly’s regular meeting on Dec. 7.

At an informal gathering of ministers on Dec. 7, CCS Matsuno, who is also the minister in charge of the abduction issue, asked the ministers to wear blue ribbons and lead their ministries in raising awareness and informing the public of the issue.

“I would like the week to be an opportunity to demonstrate to North Korea the Japanese people’s resolve to bring home the abductees,” Matsuno said at the briefing. (Abridged)