Abe says he is not considering visit to N Korea

Abe visiting North Korea before South Korea should cause interesting reactions. The South might even realise that fighting Japan only hurts itself.

Be safe in Japan than take a chance there.

Seems Obama is working hard behind the scene.

I was hoping he would go and tell the North Koreans they could keep him if they let the people abducted go.

So Abe is trying to improve things with NK by NOT talking with them?

@ Stuart Hayward

It's just too early to tell if the Koreans are just going to renege once sanctions are removed. Abe is rightly cautious of the North's intentions. In terms of improving ties, the ball has always been in North Korea's court. Till the abduction problem can realistically reach a conclusion, Japan should not make too many overtures to the North.

ANewAsia: Being cautious doesn't mean you should not communicate and when did direct communications become "Too many overtures"??