Japan says no aid for N Korea until it resolves abduction issue

Dont know about everyone else, but Im very comfortable with this approach. And if the international community had taken the same approach many years ago, North Korea would never have gotten its hands on nuclear weapons. I do realise that aid cutbacks will probably have an effect on the general population over there, but unless someone takes firm action nothing will ever change.

I also agree but let's add that inspectors from the IAEA also be given unfettered access at anytime to assure that any nuclear activity is being directed towards creating electricity and not weapons. Not one more dollar and/or yen to this regime until they meet OUR demands. The gravy train has arrived at the station and it's no longer running.

@some14some. "During 6-party talks era NK had clearly stated that they do not want any aid from Japan." But during the 6-party talks era NK received and spent a lot of aid from Japan.

If you want a better understanding of North Korea read The Cleanest Race: How North Koreans See Themselves and Why it Matters by Brian Reynolds Myers. Giving aid to North Korea is counter productive. Foreign aid is viewed by the North Koreans as a sign of subservience and racial inferiority. When North Koreans receive food aid from the United States, they tell their people that it's reparations to North Korea for having started the Korean War.

Good position Abe, never appease a thug.

Japan would not help finance the huge aid projects that diplomats say North Korea wants and some countries are ready to consider.

Those countries would do better to reconsider. What exactly is their profit of helping North Korea? NK will always act like that spoiled child who gets everything. Japan does the right thing by being firm on this.

Just curious, how much foreign aid does Japan actually give N. Korea?

Good. Why should we send our money to this spoiled brat who hates us?

timtakMay. 04, 2013 - 09:24PM JST My heart bleeds for the abductees and their families, but I guess that alas that there is not that many of them. How >many children will die without the millions of dollars of Japanese aid?

That's he fault of the North Korean Kim regime which follows an official Song-Gun (Military First) policy. The west has long been aware that foreign food aid goes to the NK military rather than the people in need. Efforts to get NK to allow confirmation of where the aid is going haven been rejected by North Korea. It's not the fault of foreign countries that have given aid be it the US or Japan.

"When North Koreans receive food aid from the United States, they tell their people that it's reparations to North Korea for having started the Korean War."

Is that view incorrect?

Yes it's incorrect. The Korean War started with the North crossing the 38th parallel in June 1950. No treaty ending the war has been signed and no arrangements for reparations from anybody have been agreed.

I think Ossan's right about where aid money to NK ends up. Pyongyang and its citizens are reasonably well provided for, as they are the great supporters of the state. The army is well looked after too. I have a feeling those kids near the China border will go hungry whatever we send. Kim went too far with his threats last time. I wouldn't give him anything or he'll just tell his people that we are all so afraid of his mighty army and his military genius that we offer him gifts to appease him.

Why would Japan help North Korea all? They threatened to launch missiles at Tokyo just a few Weeks ago!

"Even if North Korea gives up its nuclear arms"

They won't.

Now, N, Korean people know other countries help their country, Kim has big mouth and Korean media proudly state this news. People must have been wondering why they can't eat short grain rice or kimuchi. Korean people are not dumb even they are polite and quiet. In USA where their school have low scores and 11 million illegal aliens, medias often report Korean and Chinese and Japanese students score higher than white people and enter colleges. It has no free speech there but Kim might be replaced by other government officials. Boston stories replaced Kim on USA headlines for a few weeks. Hope Korean people can eat wel some day.

Korean USA citizen is arrested. He was caught when he croseed from China to N. Korea to feed orphans. So, USA media write that Kim wants Pres. Obama visit N Korea like Carter and Clinton did. 15 years sentence as an American spy. People who know him stated that if he is a spy, everybody in USA can qualify as a spy. N. Korea's custom to arrest Americans to give heavy sentence as a spy.

"Just curious, how much foreign aid does Japan actually give N. Korea?" I cannot provide a link or guarantee that it's true but I remember a NHK report saying between 15-20 million US dollars worth of yen was given to North Korea during the Koizumi years. Again I cannot prove that but that's what I heard.

Although I agree with Japans intentions, I think the timing is off. What positive outcome will come about with a statement like that now.

but I remember a NHK report saying between 15-20 million US dollars worth of yen was given to North Korea during the Koizumi years.

In the bigger scheme of things this amount is a pittance to what aid is actually needed for the people of NK.

Furthermore - the evil rulers of NK don't give a rats about kids in rural areas who are currently starving to death. Cutting food aid would arguably - perversely - make them happy, as they have less of their own hated people to worry about when they die.

As much as I agree with the stance, it is the innocents in DRPK that will suffer from further sanctioning and not the crazy child leader ands his generals. I wish there was another way to punish DRPK but economics is the only weapon available.

Doesn't parts of the profit from Pachinko parlors go to North Korea, too? Or so I've heard.

I hope that Japan starts closing down any and all businesses to send money to that terrorist nation.

Freeze them out and let them start heading to their rulers in the PRC.

You'll see quick change in that uncivilized land the moment the PRC has to fully fund it.

My heart bleeds for the abductees and their families, but I guess that alas that there is not that many of them. How many children will die without the millions of dollars of Japanese aid?

When North Koreans receive food aid from the United States, they tell their people that it's reparations to North Korea for having started the Korean War.

Is that view incorrect?

Aids or no aids, sanctions or no sanctions... communist countries will help their own comrades. "All goods are equally shared by the people." in communism? Is that true? Btw, this asia's problem has been tolerated by an outside force. Who? Your guess is as good as mine.

Whilst I despise the evil King and aristocrats running North Korea - I believe the rich nations of this world should continue food aid. If it keeps even a few kids alive it is worth it - the kids there are just as precious, innocent and important as kids anywhere. And let's get realistic: the abductees remains/ashes are NEVER returning to Japan - they are lost forever in that starving, failed state. Japanese politicians will sadly keep promising to repatriate them.

Aid..flood the country with iPads and Satallite Internet So much cheeper than war, information is Power. Then watch what happens!

During 6-party talks era NK had clearly stated that they do not want any aid from Japan.