In 2003, Kazumi Kitagawa jumped from a ferry while on a sightseeing tour to China and swam across the Yalu River into North Korea to seek asylum.

Now after only two years in one of the last workers’ paradises remaining in the world, Kitagawa is back in Japan declaring a newly rediscovered love for her motherland.

Kitagawa’s defection to the North was the first by a Japanese since the hijacking of a Japan Airlines jetliner by nine Japanese to Pyongyang in 1970.

Ms. Kitagawa, who also was once a member of the Aum Shinrikyo cult that conducted a nerve gas attack in the Tokyo subway system 1995, apparently became disenchanted with North Korea due to her cold hotel room, the constant surveillance by guards, and the lack of Japanese cosmetics, clothes and snacks.

As everyone can see, Ms. Kitagawa is a very attractive woman. But watching her being interviewed on the news tonight, the poor woman comes off being as crazy as a loon.

——————– UPDATE 11/05/05
I caught some of the Saturday morning news-of-the-week shows that covered Krazy Kazumi’s Excellent Adventure. One of them noticed that everytime she appeared in front of a camera, the same middle-aged man was standing next to her. During an interview with him, the man identified himself as the president of a talent agency. He admitted that his company had paid 20 million yen to the North Korean government to cover Kazumi’s hotel and other living expenses during her two year stay there.

When asked how the company expected to get its money back, the man admitted that they would be trying to promote her so she can earn money.