politics

Abe vows to resolve N Korea abduction issue

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you are approximately 40 years late on this one. where was this abduction push in the 70s and 80s?

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Resolving this issue is sure great and all, but ain't no resolving when both abductor and abducted are in blazes due to offensive. Remaining civil and not trying to blow up your neighbour is one of the requirements for decent politics.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

In the midst of a nuclear crisis our fearless leader is going to demand his own personal pet peeve be settled the rest of the world be damned! I feel for the families who had someone kidnapped, but this cannot derail any kind of plan to settle this on going nuclear crisis.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

More distraction needed

7 ( +10 / -3 )

My mother always told me "don't make promises you can't keep".

Abe's list of vows is a long one. I wonder how many of his vows he actually realized.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

I am not very much sympathetic with these families of the kidnapped. They are too loud. There are many unhappy people in Japan to whom unreasonable misfortunes fell upon. Those who do not return after the deal by Koizumi may have been truely dead as N. Korea says and some may have reasons they do not or cannot return to Japan. They are living their lives in North Korea for necessary reasons.

-6 ( +5 / -11 )

Ohhh dear leader, finally going in alone to portray the power and resilience of nippon!!

it will also seek U.S. cooperation for rescuing the abductees from North Korea.

> Oh.....

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Stop selling those families false hopes. I seriously don't see how you could or why the North would even care about these people when they're constantly saying they're gonna nuke the poop out of Japan, South Korea and USA.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

where was this abduction push in the 70s and 80s

The LDP was too busy taking bribes from Kim Il Sung:

"The biggest obstacle to official contacts appeared to have been removed when Kim accepted a letter from Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu. Kaifu, writing not as prime minister but as president of the Liberal Democratic Party, said Japan is prepared to offer an official apology and compensation for damages inflicted during the 1910-1945 period when Japan ruled Korea as a colony".

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-09-27/news/mn-1432_1_north-korea

The North Koreans paid the LDP massive bribes in the hope of smoothing out the road to re-establishing relations and getting vast ODA support to rebuild their country. The Japanese business world was rubbing its hands with glee at the prospect of a new market just across the water. When eminence grise Shin Kanemaru was finally arrested in 1993 the police apparently found gold bars in his home, supposedly gifts from Kim Il Sung.

The LDP knew all about the abductions but downplayed the affair. As their own countrymen and women were being kidnapped they were in Pyongyang, trousering Kim Il Sung's bribe money. The cynicism and corruption of the LDP is astonishing.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

For god's sake, when you have the big possibility of a nuclear missile headed towards a Japanese city, the last thing on most people's mind is the thought of a few people who are most likely already dead. I feel for the kidnapped people's family, but does this fascist not know what else is happening in the region. I have a feeling even the Trump administration couldn't give a damn right this moment.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Now isn't the time for this sort of posturing ... North Korea is talking about nuking evil empires and Abe wants to discuss this?? Someone needs to get their priorities straight...

4 ( +4 / -0 )

When you are hell-bent on war but cannot justify it, go for a 40 years old issue.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"They are living their lives in North Korea for necessary reasons". Shopenhauer, they are living in North Korea because they were criminally abducted, and for no other reason, unless you know something the rest of us don't. If we all took this limp-wristed existentialist line nothing would change for the better, but the Japanese government owes it to the relatives of those abducted to do something about it, however belatedly, and the fuss made by the relatives, however noisy, is justifiable.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

He has continously vowed on many things, but has yet to deliver!! Abenomics for the past 5 years and the "northern dispute"!! How long are we going to trust this foolish imperialist? Until Japan is utterly imperialized again? When will we ever witness Japan' s first female prime minister (Renho)?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Who had it in the pool? Where can I get a list of Abe vows?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

How long has that abduction issue been unresolved and what makes Abe so sure he can resolve it now?

also, he sure resolved that school scandal among other things!!

7 ( +7 / -0 )

I think this is the 10th time he's vowed the same thing, the third less then a week after donating to Yasukuni (or visiting), but it IS maybe the first when the country is at it's absolute WORST relations with NK in history, and following SDF destroyers joining US Navy in drills.

I think he really does mean the opposite of what he says, because this is NEVER going to be resolved in the current climate and with his recent actions.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Schopenhauer Today 07:59 am JST

I am not very much sympathetic with these families of the kidnapped.

You will be, when your children are taken to North Korea by its spy agents and confined for the rest of their life.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

You will be, when your children are taken to North Korea by its spy agents and confined for the rest of their life.

give me a break, this happened over 40 years ago. You actually think Japan gives a rip about these families? Just using the issue for diversion and garnering votes

3 ( +4 / -1 )

CH3CHO: "You will be, when your children are taken to North Korea by its spy agents and confined for the rest of their life."

I thought you of all people, who demand Japan's atrocities be forgotten and countries move on, would agree that Japan ought to forget about this and move on, no? I mean, after all, you can't prove the numbers of those taken anyway, right? Most is speculation by interest groups here, and you still find Japanese who were on the "kidnapped" list who pop up alive and well in Japan.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/06/16/national/man-thought-abducted-north-korea-found-japan/#.WP2OjFJ7E0o

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Vow, urge, promise next year the next Dear Leader (LDP) Will promise the same.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Abe should vow to take care of u.s abducted children issue .Or we should feed him to N.Korea . I'm tired of spending my tax money to send our aircraft carriers to help with damaged power plants and N.Korea to a country that attacted my family at Pear Harbor and would rather act like it never happen but on the other hand play poor me at A bomb park , and also wants the u.s Koreans to take down a statues of compfort women.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

bones Apr. 24  12:23 pm JST

How long has that abduction issue been unresolved and what makes Abe so sure he can resolve it now?

It's been going on for ages and Abe knows he can't resolve it. I suspect he also secretly acknowledges that those abductees who haven't come back are in fact dead just like the North Koreans say they are. But pretending otherwise and talking tough on the matter seems to go down a treat with the guillble old folks that the LDP needs to keep conning into voting for them.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So Abe is "deeply involved" in the issue, it's his "top priority", and yet he has done absolutely nothing at all to resolve it. When were the last discussions with North Korea on the issue? Years ago. No wonder the families of the abductees are deeply unhappy with Abe's lack of activity. He is all words and no action.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What is there to push. Just go with your allies and bomb NK flat like Iraq.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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