Suga considering U.S. trip in May to raise abduction issue

Suga and Abe are headed in the opposite direction. Instead of heading east to the U.S. they should be heading west to meet with Kim and Moon. Trump loves Kim, he's not going to bring up a subject that he doesn't have a vested interest in and risk irritating his bromance with Kim. Look what he and his administration did with Warmbier. They know that both North and South Korea still hold the same grudge against them from WWII so it's a no win position. Unless they overhaul their entire position with Korea this isn't going anywhere. Stuck in the middle and all dressed up with nowhere to go.

Resolving the abduction issue for Japan is something that I don't think the Trump administration can do.

@dbsaiya

Said it best. North Korea sees their relationship with the US much differently than how they view their relationship with Japan and South Korea. Right now, Japan's best bet is to smooth over their relationship with South Korea and then try to leverage that relationship into hoping that North Korea will agree. North Korea's closest allies are China, Russia, and South Korea. All of which Japan does not have the best ties with at the moment.

I think U.S. picked Suga for the next Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has prioritized resolving the abduction issue

Abe often says the abduction issue is his top priority, but he has done nothing at all to resolve it. Abe should be talking to fat dictator Kim himself if he wants to achieve anything, but I suspect Abe doesn't really want the issue resolved at all. It's a good issue for rallying all Abe's right wing nutcase mates around.

Abe is timid, he has no courage to step foot on Pyongyang raising the question about abductees to dear leader K.J.

What’s it got to do with the USA?

He won’t pass immigration. They will ask him to look straight into the camera. In 6 years of watching him, I have never ever seen him look straight ahead. Always down.

In 100 years of time, it will still be a matter...very useful in Japanese politics.

expatApr. 8  10:59 am JST

"state minister in charge of the abduction issue" This is actually a government post?

But of course. It's great political capital so this is one way of showing how seriously Abe is pretending to take it.

When will Japan demand its sovereignty be re-established? Do Japanese politicians need to consult/ask Washington about everything? Surely, the Japanese government is capable of addressing its own problems.

"state minister in charge of the abduction issue" This is actually a government post?

LOL exactly!!

He'd do better flying directly to the DPRK for talks, as Trump has less than no influence over Kim, and US politicians don't care.

exactly. so just what does that ministerial position entail? crossing your arms over your chest behind a desk, tilting your head to the side and saying "muzukashii ne" over and over again??