North Korean ship symbolizes hopes for better Japan ties

It’s unclear how far North Korea is willing to go to satisfy Japan’s demands to resolve the abductions issue

The only "SATISFACTORY" result is the RETURN of ALL abductees. . . .......Why is No Korea profiting from its heinous crime ????

semperfi: The only "SATISFACTORY" result is the RETURN of ALL abductees. . . .......Why is No Korea profiting from its heinous crime ????

Well said, though in my opinion there should be NO relaxation of sanctions until this issue is sorted out

So now we are stirring shit with south korea while chatting with north korea, wtf?

Well said, though in my opinion there should be NO relaxation of sanctions until this issue is sorted out

So cruel. People in North Korea deserve a better life. Stop this hate.

Promising signs toward a better future for these two countries.

North Korea no longer can depend on aid from its traditional patrons, Russia and China. Accordingly, the cruises from Japan have become the regime's lifeline - its most important source of hard currency. Regarding the abductees, I still doubt the sincerity of the North Korean government but I do hope diplomatic relations can be established in the near future.

By any impartial, rational standards, the requests by the Japanese government for accountability regarding its missing citizens is reasonable and responsible. If their roles were reversed, the North Koreans would be equally upset over this issue.

China and S Korea are together in bashing Japan every week. N Korea's missiles never targetted Japan. Humanitarian aids to N Korea is important but if N Korea shift its trading with China and S Korea, to Japan, beside Japan get abductees back, Japan will benefit - trade wise. Well, Japan shouldn't worry China and S Korea losing trades with N Korea. Just help N Korean economic growth and industrialization. How about sending rice and garlic to hungry N Korean people first? Encourage Mitsubishi and other Japan Inc to help N Morea than China that has been insulting Japan almost daily.

Even if they return all the abductees/their remains, there still is the matter of the the horrible treatment of their own citizens in various prison camps on top of the missile/nuclear issue. Easing up on sanctions and helping the country out puts Japan on par with China and Russia for being supporters of this terrible regime.

Kim was in Europe and he knows how European people eat. I hope he visit Japan and wanted to make his country people to eat almost as good as Japanese people; I mean people in Japan is not hungry. China is too busy with S Korea and so only hope he now has is to be friend with Japan? Well. ingredients of Kimuchi and Rice, should be first priority to ease sanction.

@toshiko

N Korea's missiles never targetted Japan.

That's not entirely true. In 1998 North Korea fired a Taepodong missile directly over mainland Japan which most experts believed was a message by the North to the United States, but also to Japan, that we can now reach out and touch you.

So Japan is breaking UN sanctioned embargo on N.Korea and breaking with US lead alliance against N.Korea, so that Japan can give a finger to S.Korea. How mature that is.

They'd known/seen nothing yet...keep moving forward...

With the ChiCom's latest snub of North Korea by going to the South first, Lil' Kim is trying to play Japan against China by looking all buddy buddy with Japan. Japan had better not lift a finger to assist the North until all questions of the abducted Japanese citizens is fully answered. Then slowly, start with humanitarian aid, and oversight of it distributed to the North Korean people that are starving in the countryside and not given to the NK Army. The China-S.Korea weekly bashing of Japan over World War Two is ..to say the least, childish.

I would trust the MangyongBong-92 about as far as I could throw it. I saw the -92 in Niigata in 1991 and the on-shore crew didn't look very friendly. Since 1991 they've been accused a illegal drug smuggling, gun-running and god-knows-what-else. I'd think it would be prudent of Japanese customs officials to make a thorough inspection of the -92 everytime it calls.

I don't think North Korea can be trusted, no matter what the Kim-Jong-Un-being-different crowd says. He was raised on Hatred of the West and hatred of the Allies.

Sure the North Korean citizens need the money, but who's to say that Kim won't just funnel the money into accounts for the Party's elites and military fund like his father?

Japan can benefit from it too, however. Their economy has been bloodied for over a decade (though they budget VERY well in spite of this) and could definitely use the income. All's fair in love and war, and I see providing a good economy for your people a form of love through responsibility. And who knows, maybe the money WILL be used to invest in farming (and hopefully down the road, farmer's unions and true socialism)

Either way, down with Juche...

There is a strange, sappy tone to this article, which is written like a tourist brochure, completely ignoring that NK is one of the most brutal dictatorship on the planets, run by a criminal family plus gang of close supporters. The Kim clan of course will use any resumption of ferry traffic to their advantage, if there is nothing in it for them, it is no go.

NK is never ever going to change its stripes. if anyone has seen how the NK's condition is right now, they'd know that there is no hope for the abductees. Let them go and let them sink.

Japan is now making only the highest quality friends in the world.

Time to stop all trade and aid to N. Korea. Total embargo. Things will get tough, but their government/dictator is a sick weirdo who just plays everyone like a fiddle.

Little Kimmy must have run out of porno manga or caviar or square watermelons......

Wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw up.

Wasn't he promising the annihilation of Japan and the US a week or two ago?

Mr. PerfectJUL. 07, 2014 - 09:35AM JST @toshiko N Korea's missiles never targetted Japan. That's not entirely true. In 1998 North Korea fired a Taepodong missile directly over mainland Japan which most experts believed was a message by the North to the United States, but also to Japan, that we can now reach out and touch you.

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I was not aware that any city in Japan was hit by N Korean missile. Do you know which city in which prefecture? Please educate me.