 Yoko is 11 years old and living in North Korea during World War II while their father works as a Japanese government official in Manchuria, China.As the War draws towards a close, Yoko and her family realizes the danger of their situation and attempts to escape back to Japan as Communists troops close in on North Korea.Her brother, Hideyo, also tries to leave but he is separated from his family because he has to serve at an ammunition factory for six days a week.