Group of lawmakers calls off visit to N Korea

Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told a news conference on Friday that such a visit to North Korea would not be appropriate at this time, considering the current tensions between Japan and North Korea.

Current tensions? Is there ever a time when there are no tensions between N Korea and Japan?

You guys are Wise , Because Coming back is not easy as going there.. heh heh heee.

Is this a no brainer??

The so-called "planned visit" to NK was very likely be a trick to cook up a high profile issue & to catch a few eyeballs from the public.. Seriously, would there be a welcoming committee at Pyongyang for the delegation. I see the political scene in Tokyo here increasingly looks like "Tollywood" ?

YuriOtani: "Why should Japan take South Korea's position? they hate us so much."

And North Korea is all warm and bubbly when it comes to Japan? Regardless, it's quite evident that a FEW people in South Korea hate the Japanese GOVERNMENT (and ultra-rightists who spew a lot of rubbish, I might add), same as ultra-rightists here for some reason hate some South Koreans. At least, if you can say some people have a reason, it would be South Koreans angry at the government for refusing to acknowledge history and then even rewriting it -- but that's another argument.

In this case you had a few guys who, although for seemingly admirable reasons, made the very unwise and sudden decision to announce a trip to the recluse nation. For a change I think they should have actually discussed it more FIRST and THEN decided whether or not to go. Now they've just heaped criticism on themselves and have had to drop said plans.

Ben_Jackinoff, the South burns Japanese flags at demonstrations and the abductions were what 20 plus years ago? South Korea never misses a chance to slander Japan. So both North and South Korea hate Japan, why should we pick sides? It is interference in their society and if the South can not fend off the bankrupt and starving north they deserve to lose.

YuriOtani,

Between North and South Korea, NK is obviously the more dangerous for Japan. It is very recent history that NK shot missles in Japan's direction. While there is friction between SK and Japan, it is nothing compared to the potential danger of NK to Japan. I cannot see how it is not obvious to you.

Ben_Jackinoff, North Korea is not a credible military threat to Japan.

Our definitions are obviously different. IMHO, NK has been and is still a threat to Japan. SK is not and has not been in any way shape or form. The amount of tourists going to each others countries and the general treatment they receive bears this out.

What a dumb way to begin with and make themselves look even stupider when they drop the plans. No brainer indeed.

smithinjapan, you miss the point sir! Why should we stick our necks out for the South? About the government rewriting history it is true, so it makes the job of the Koreans and Okinawa people to remind people of the truth. The Japanese of the past did many bad things but that was the past and not the present. The future is what we make of it, being called bad people by the Koreans does not make me like them. Again Japan needs to be neutral in the Korean civil war. Getting involved in others countries business is what lead Japan down the dark road. We need to be neutral, let the Americans "discipline" the North.

Why should Japan take South Korea's position? they hate us so much.

Thanks for that. I was not aware that South Korea routinely kidnaps Japanese citizens and brings them to their country.

Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told a news conference on Friday that such a visit to North Korea would not be appropriate at this time, considering the current tensions between Japan and North Korea.

This statement makes only sense when you want to keep tensions high.

Why should Japan take South Korea's position? they hate us so much.