politics

Abe says he won't miss chance to meet with N Korean leader Kim

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I'll bet Kim is in no rush to meet with Abe.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Abe has indicated Japan may help shoulder the costs of Pyongyang's denuclearization under a potential international framework for funding.

He should take care of nation's rising debt, leave it to Trump who wants to dominate space, moon and mars.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Kim is no rush because we're at the stage of seeing if any of his promises to the US and SK are going to become reality. Relations with Japan an only come after that. Abe only wants to wave what he can offer in front of Kim . Again, a no news story.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

By being validated by Trump he has no need to meet with Abe

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Unfortunately, Abe already missed the chances, many times.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

If Trump-Kim produced only an empty vague set of commitments, why does Abe think he can settle issues at one fell swoop.....especially since Japan has little leverage. Even less since Trump is not particularly supportive, leaving Abe as odd man out.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Agree with all of the above.

By being validated by Trump he has no need to meet with Abe

that is the point here. Kim is on good terms with Trump and Ping. Does he really need Abe? I don't think so.

Hahahahahahahaha please please please talk to me so I can be relevant too. This shmucks a joke. Like I said before, Japan, you truly deserve what's coming to you.

true

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

I agree with OssanAmerica, this is not really news at all, but anyway good for PM Abe. He has wanted to meet and discuss issues with Chairman Kim for a long time, this isnt new.

Chairman Kim will also be very keen for huge Japanese givernment investment. It is in his interest to finalize the abductees cases, and he will. and then the economic partnership will begin.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

What happens if Abe meets Kim, and Kim says, "yes, we did abduct these people, and they were used to train our spies to infiltrate Japan. They have all passed away, or were killed and here is their DNA just to confirm things." What does Abe do then? North Korea could claim that the issue is truly solved, and blame the former regime. Then Abe would be in a real pickle, wouldn't he.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Ganbare Japan!Today  09:06 am JST

I agree with OssanAmerica, this is not really news at all, but anyway good for PM Abe. He has wanted to meet and discuss issues with Chairman Kim for a long time, this isnt new.

That's funny, has anyone else heard of Abe saying anything about wanting to meet Kim except in the past few months?

MarkXToday  09:14 am JST

What happens if Abe meets Kim, and Kim says, "yes, we did abduct these people, and they were used to train our spies to infiltrate Japan. They have all passed away, or were killed and here is their DNA just to confirm things." What does Abe do then? North Korea could claim that the issue is truly solved, and blame the former regime. Then Abe would be in a real pickle, wouldn't he.

Indeed. After promising never to rest until the abductees can hug their parents he'd be looking a bit stupid. Or more stupid than he looks already.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Simon FostonToday  09:32 am JST

That's funny, has anyone else heard of Abe saying anything about wanting to meet Kim except in the past few months?

Why should we? It's only been since April 27th that Kim has said NK will "denuclearize".

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Gambare:

I agree with OssanAmerica, this is not really news at all

Yeah, I agree too. Not relevant because Abe is not relevant. Botchan is rather like those spineless Republicans. Before, there was criticism about Kim and no one wanted to give him attention or meet him. Now that Kim is Trump's new buddy, these spineless sycophants have all changed their tune (on the surface). Yeah, Kim is in no rush to meet with Abe. After all, Abe wasn't in a rush to do so before.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

OssanAmericaToday  09:45 am JST

Simon FostonToday  09:32 am JST

"That's funny, has anyone else heard of Abe saying anything about wanting to meet Kim except in the past few months?

Why should we?"

I refer you to Gambare Japan's comment, which you neglected to quote.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

What happens if Abe meets Kim, and Kim says, "yes, we did abduct these people, and they were used to train our spies to infiltrate Japan. They have all passed away, or were killed and here is their DNA just to confirm things." What does Abe do then? North Korea could claim that the issue is truly solved, and blame the former regime. Then Abe would be in a real pickle, wouldn't he.

MArkX,

Actually this already occurred about a decade or so ago! NK said all remaining abductee's had passed & provided remains which Japan rejected as remains of other people.....

Like I have said many times, expecting NK to have marked graves is simply dreaming

The issue is most likely already as NK has previously described, that said Japan should try one more time but they need to put some REAL effort, expecting a side meeting at some other gathering is just LAME & typical of Japan's efforts the last several decades!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Promise to not miss chances is not enough. Abe should creates opportunity for himself and be proactive, as he is proactive for wars under principle of collective defense. This time, the principle is collective prosperous. As long as Abe is genuine, both China and South Korea will help him out, without charge.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Abe is just jumping on the bandwagon with the usual Japanese "Follow-mein-Fuehrer" foreign policy. That said, there could be real economic benefits for both countries if he and Kim finally agree to bury their hatchets. If the Japanese act quickly, they could even make faster inroads with their neighbors than the American behemoth further away which may soon descend into political chaos as Trump's hold on reality and power crumbles.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

But Abe underlined that Japan will not provide North Korea with economic cooperation and will not normalize bilateral ties without resolving the long-standing abduction issue, which he describes as his government's top priority.

Of course! It's an easy headline distraction away from all the scandals and corruption. And he chooses (vows?) to 'resolve' this particular issue with Kim because he knows that it can never be resolved cleanly. Much like the Korean comfort women issue (that he doesn't want to resolve).

Abe obviously has some kind of intel on the demise of the abductees, otherwise he wouldn't place all of his eggs in that basket.

It's really sad the the LDP uses these issues to play political hockey and indent their (constant victim) narrative further into the people of Japan. The people (of both nations) will ultimately pay for their leaders' childish egos - just as the people paid in the past.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Abe is fooling Japanese again, as if NK really needs Japan's help. Quite honestly, NK will not accept anything from Japan, except money for the cost of missiles and nuclear weapons, and compensation for the related industries. Abe has no choices, he has to pay for the cost, that is the order.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

For ratings.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Let's see Mr. Abe of Abenomics works to pay off what KJU requests before release all abductees to go back to Japan. I hope some of them are still alive, but anyway, it will cost a lot of money Mr. Abe won't be able to pay from his pocket his lifetime wages.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

should be interesting I have written to DPRK leaders how to deal with Japan

am interested to see if they take my advice

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

Abe must give up argis and american nuclear bases in japan before meeting.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

It seems Mr.Abe regret using the abductee issue to get involve in the Korean matters! He didnt mentioned it anymore!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Nooooo! don't do it Abe, don't be fooled by this charm offensive from what is still a brutal dictator who is only concerned with increasing his grip on power and using these summits as a way to legitimise that!

Don't forget, this is the same man who thought it fine to test launch and fly experimental weapons over Japan with out a thought for the safety of its population! Trump and Moon may be fooled but I think your better and cleverer than they are! Stay at home!

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Simon FostonToday 10:03 am JST

OssanAmericaToday  09:45 am JST

Simon FostonToday  09:32 am JST

"That's funny, has anyone else heard of Abe saying anything about wanting to meet Kim except in the past few months?

Why should we?"

I refer you to Gambare Japan's comment, which you neglected to quote.

Sorry but that doesn't change anything.

Gambare Japan said "He has wanted to meet and discuss issues with Chairman Kim for a long time.."

We all know that the abduction issue is Abe's pet political tool. We also know that the only time in history that Japan ever got any abductees back was in 2002 when PM Koizumi met directly with Kim Jong Il. We also know that Abe himself was part of that Japanese entourage that went to Pyongyang. So obviously, Abe has sought a meeting with Kim as the only way that he could make any real progress on the abduction issue. But of course, circumstances prior to April 27, 2018 did not allow him to voice such a view. But since then, with a major diplomatic break in SK/NK and US/NK relations, this is now possible. Hence we are seeing him speaking about "meeting Kim" now, and not prior to April 27th.

Hope this helps

5 ( +6 / -1 )

OssanAmerica, Abe flip-flops a lot. If Abe followed his instinct and put Japan first, he could have accomplished a lot in the past 5 years. Unfortunately, Abe missed the boat and Japan has to suffer as a result, unless Northeast Asians would pardon him.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

I hope Abe meets Kim apologizes for all the atrocities Japan committed, offers reparations forever with no strings attached, publicly announces all the successful Korean business people doctors athletes entertainers and others who had to change their names to Japanese and makes is illegal and punishable to show discrimination of Koreans in Japan, then maybe Korea will begin the healing process.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I think both sides need to back down to find a compromise point. K.J. must explain the where abouts of the japanese abducted. It is not an excuse to abduct japanese for whatever reasons. Abe must stop the harassment and discrimination of North Korean people in Japan!They have their reasons to stay in Japan although their political ideology is different! If neither side refuse to back down then every hopes of peace is pointless!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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