politics

Biden urges N Korea to right 'historic wrong' of abductions of Japanese

44 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

44 Comments
Login to comment

Samit BasuMay 24  11:58 pm JST

And Japan has yet to apologize to North Korea for its heinous crimes.

All the apologies made by Japan already, I must have dreamt reading about them.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

On point, Samit, what you have pointed out is historically and factually accurate, and is just the tip of the iceberg regarding what Japan did to Korea and Korean people in the colonial era.

And ditto for the US regarding Native American Indians, Filipinos in the era of Teddy Roosevelt, treatment of the Chinese who built the railroads in the US, internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII (while German-Americans walked around free), indiscriminate bombing / napalming / shooting of citizens in Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, etc.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

@Harry_Gatto

Perhaps allow Japan to abduct an equivalent number of N Koreans?

Imperial Japan already abducted 10,000 times more North Koreans than the number of Japanese that North Korea abducted.

And Japan has yet to apologize to North Korea for its heinous crimes.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

@kennyG You would "revenge"? Against NK? And how exactly would you "revenge"?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@bass4funk Saddam made the same mistake and wouldn't take Bush's phone calls! I guess the bombs made him deaf!

It might not be President Biden's highest priority, but still I think it's good he continues to show his humanity rather than spending his time in Japan chasing a golf ball

If the Saudis or Iranians won’t pick up the phone and take Biden seriously, why would Kim? Especially, after they’ve witnessed how he deals with geopolitical issues, not promising at all…

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

"called on North Korea to right this historic wrong and provide a full accounting of the 12 Japanese nationals who remain missing,"

That makes the assumption that

a) They kept records on a few individuals they abducted may decades ago before computer book keeping, and who they probably didnt care about anyway.

b) That people who knew about the individuals abducted are still alive.

c) That Kim gives a hoot about the issue anyway.

The North Koreans have previously addressed this issue and declared it closed, with no more abducted Japanese nationals alive. With all the famine they have endured and the cheap value of a life in that country, it is more than possible they are correct about it being over.

No doubt Japan will continue on with these requests for another fifty years, but I think there is nothing more to be done. Any value these abducted people had to North Korea fifty years ago, is well and truly gone. A sad chapter for family and those abducted, but there is nothing more that can be done.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

How about abducting little kim sister or a family member? not that he really care!! may be he will start listening.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korea President Yoon Suk-yeol said after meeting Saturday that they will consider expanded military exercises to deter the nuclear threat from North Korea at a time when there’s little hope of real diplomacy on the matter.

Yoon affirmed in remarks at a news conference that their shared goal is the complete denuclearization of North Korea. The U.S. and South Korea issued a joint statement that said they were committed to a “rules-based international order” following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The statement likely sets the stage for how the U.S. and its allies will address any challenges with North Korea.

https://worldabcnews.com/u-s-south-korea-open-to-expanded-military-drills-to-deter-north-as-biden-visits-seoul/

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If I were father or mother of Megumi and must give up, I would revenge, no matter what.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

What about Japan's past historical wrongs against North Korea is which 1000 times more grave than any historical wrongs that North Korea may have committed?

Yes. There are some naturalized diet members who dared to say something like this poster. Unlike USA or Canada, There are too many who become Japanese citizen only for the convenience/purposes.

This is no good.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"Right a historic wrong" says a US president.

What's wrong with this picture... familiar with history much, Joe Biden?

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Kishida and the J-Gov haven’t done anything for you in decades, never will.

If J-Govt didn't do anything, there would not been 5 abductees and their kids returned home and been living in Japan now.

Or you might as well suggest Japan should do as Putin does.

The Japanese government knew its citizens had been abducted and kept it secret while doing nothing. They urged the families of the victims to keep quiet too. They should have cut ALL remittances to North Korea, followed by the repatriation or imprisonment of influential pro NK Koreans in Japan.

At least, when the day comes for the families to have to give them all up, Chongryon is to be completely and irreversibly disbanded, no excuse whatsoever as it was involved in the cases.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday urged North Korea to correct the "historic wrong" of its past abductions of Japanese nationals .................

Did he suggest how they might do this? Perhaps allow Japan to abduct an equivalent number of N Koreans?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Quid pro quo between master and satrapy.

"Sure, we'll badger the North Koreans about the abductees, so long as we can keep using your land as forward deployment bases for our military.'

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

President Biden's meeting with the abductee families is simply a dog-and-pony show meant to please his Japanese hosts. The Japanese right has been using the issue of the abductees to cover over their colossal blunder in 2002, blowing up over the issue after Kim Chong-il made the significant concession of allowing five of them to visit Japan and apologizing. If Pyongyang-Tokyo relations had stayed on track, Northeast Asia might be much more stable and peaceful than it is today.

I feel sympathy for the abductee families, but they are being used as chess pieces by the government to get support for their hawkish policies against North Korea and China. Which of course pleases Washington.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Tragic fore the families and abductees, but if the number is really 12 then he travelled all this way to focus on a real fringe issue.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

How about he send in special envoy, Dennis Rodman. When dealing with crazy, sometimes crazier works.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

PT,these people are either dead or do not want to come back

You act like a person can easily hop on a flight out of North Korea when they feel like it.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

The Japanese government knew its citizens had been abducted and kept it secret while doing nothing

LDP eminence grise Shin Kanemaru and his cronies were in Pyongyang buttering up Kim Il Sung in the belief that Japanese companies would be in line for massively lucrative contracts to modernize North Korean infrastructure in the event of economic liberalization. They knew all about the abductions but covered them up in the hope of financial gain.

When Kanemaru was eventually busted it's said an ingot of North Korean gold was found in his personal safe. It's almost certainly an urban legend, but not far from the truth.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Thank you Mr Biden to promise you will protect the People of Taiwan with your military response if needed.

I doubt that.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

He is elder but doing his best. Did Mr. Biden “fell on his knee” or “took a knee” in respect to comfort and hug Megumi’s mother?

Megumi's mother Sakie Yokota, 86, said Biden fell on a knee to hug her as she was seated.

Thank you Mr Biden to promise you will protect the People of Taiwan with your military response if needed.

5 ( +12 / -7 )

Yes... and Japan should pay more money for military protection so that no more Japanese will be abducted by North Koreans in the future.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Trading abductees for COVID vaccines might get Kim's attention.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Everyone has been urging Kim to give back the Japanese citizens to Japan for years and years. Try something new.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

What about Japan's past historical wrongs against North Korea is which 1000 times more grave than any historical wrongs that North Korea may have committed?

-21 ( +8 / -29 )

The Japanese government knew its citizens had been abducted and kept it secret while doing nothing. They urged the families of the victims to keep quiet too. They should have cut ALL remittances to North Korea, followed by the repatriation or imprisonment of influential pro NK Koreans in Japan.

-3 ( +10 / -13 )

Kim is also a person with humane feelings despite all the accusations of him being cruel.

What parallel universe is this from?

I want to see this fantasy show, because it’s not happening in reality.

Takuya Yokota, 53, head of a group of the victims' families, told a press conference that their meeting with Biden itself could "put strong pressure on North Korea"

We feel sorry for you, we definitely do. But Kim and the boys couldn’t care less, and are 100% not paying attention to any of this meeting.

Kishida and the J-Gov haven’t done anything for you in decades, never will.

And unfortunately it’s not a priority for the US either.

-7 ( +5 / -12 )

Photo ops. Words. Promises. Kitchen sink. Everything but action.

-1 ( +13 / -14 )

I’m sure the old oyajis ultra conservatives are pleased with this farce which Biden as every US president must attend in order to please the J-government.

1 ( +14 / -13 )

I feel bad for these people, I really do. But I feel like that after all this time it's effort wasted continuing to raise this issue. They're gone, most likely either still in DPNK or have since passed and the DPRK is not going to tell you anything about them.

12 ( +16 / -4 )

This is the ONLY thing the J-govt DOES for abductee families.....get them a one on one with a US Prez from time to time, after that.....ALWAYS NOTHING!!!

6 ( +19 / -13 )

Biden may have many negatives but this one shows his best self...compassion and humanity. It may even offer a way for NK to come to the table.

Kim is also a person with humane feelings despite all the accusations of him being cruel. He helped carry the coffin of his mentor...a Marshall that mentored him for years. No other President, King or Leader has ever helped carry the coffin of someone they loved.

So, I hope this offers a small doorway to a bigger doorways.

-9 ( +10 / -19 )

Not popular in his own country, but he will be popular here with the ojisan. Everybody knows that the rule in Japan, is as the incompetent government stuffs up the economy, especially before an election, bring up the abduction issue from last century.

-11 ( +14 / -25 )

Every single US president who visits Japan has the same meeting, and every time the same results..... NOTHING.

just a song and dance for the jp media- nothing more

-5 ( +18 / -23 )

Japan, pushing the same agenda every time the US president visits.

This, Hiroshima, Yasukuni shrine……

We get it already. But that’s all in the past.

Move on to current and future issues. Things that can still be improved or changed.

-1 ( +16 / -17 )

Every single US president who visits Japan has the same meeting, and every time the same results..... NOTHING.

8 ( +28 / -20 )

Complete rubbish.

Biden is full of false promises and smoke and mirrors is all he has.

Just another excuse to stir up a conflict.

-11 ( +23 / -34 )

This is a JGov responsibility not the US.

12 ( +32 / -20 )

It might not be President Biden's highest priority, but still I think it's good he continues to show his humanity rather than spending his time in Japan chasing a golf ball

If the Saudis or Iranians won’t pick up the phone and take Biden seriously, why would Kim? Especially, after they’ve witnessed how he deals with geopolitical issues, not promising at all…

-17 ( +18 / -35 )

PT,these people are either dead or do not want to come back,Biden got enough on his plate already

6 ( +23 / -17 )

U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday urged North Korea to correct the "historic wrong" of its past abductions of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s, and to fully explain the situations of those still unaccounted for.

This quote could be under the Wikipedia entry for "paying lip service".

-1 ( +20 / -21 )

What he can do? Does he have any contact with Kim like previous president?

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/09/trump-just-set-his-own-uncrossable-red-line--and-north-korea-crossed-it-instantly.html

-13 ( +14 / -27 )

watse of a President time

It might not be President Biden's highest priority, but still I think it's good he continues to show his humanity rather than spending his time in Japan chasing a golf ball.

12 ( +37 / -25 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites