Japan's budget on N Korea goes unused amid stalled abduction talks

Back in October 2002 Five abductees were returned. Yasushi Chimura and his wife Fukie, Kaoru Hasuike and his wife Yukiko, and Hitomi Soga - the wife of Charles Robert Jenkins, who remained in North Korea. Jenkins himself was later returned and lived the remainder of his life in Japan.

Think of 5 countries that are considered rogue states by Western counties - we can all guess who they are. Sanctions have tarnished their names, and for a good reason.

North Korea have been sanctioned for breaking so many international norms - sinking ships in international waters and downing passenger jets just to name a few.

People will harp on about sanctions hurting the little people, but apart from sanctions , the alternative is war.

Cogito Ergo SumToday  08:14 pm JST

@Ossan

One would have to be a total imbecile to accept the " NK is asking for aid " line, which has always been the refrain from Japanese side after every talk.

Considering that North Korea is one of the poorest nations in the world, and Japan is one of the wealthiest, one would have to be an imbecile to not recognize that North Korea would have asiprations for aid/assistance from Japan down the road.

Cogito Ergo SumSep. 10  10:52 pm JST

@ Ossan

NK has weathered an all out , all time , all encompassing and trans- generational ( Ill Sung to Jong-Un) head to wall butting by every one. I've heard times without number how it's going to collapse, but is still around. Certainly aid will not be their eminent demand, not from Japan. They can get it from China , Russia etc. From Japan?

If North Korea could "easily get aid from China and Russia", they already would have. And North Korea wouldn't be the economic mess that it is. If you are attempting to argue that there is no value to North Korea in possibly getting aid/assistance from the third biggest economy in the world, that just doesn't make amy sense whatsoever. North Korea plays a unique game and no one knows what they really are trying to achieve. But there's no reason to deny common sense. Leave it at that.

@ Ossan

NK has weathered an all out , all time , all encompassing and trans- generational ( Ill Sung to Jong-Un) head to wall butting by every one. I've heard times without number how it's going to collapse, but is still around. Certainly aid will not be their eminent demand, not from Japan. They can get it from China , Russia etc. From Japan?

I mean sanctions by every one.

Doest sanction even work against dictatorships where those in power do not give a hoot towards their own people and the people have no power whatsoever that they can't even hold any public protests toward the government?

It'll just make the people suffer more while those in power continue living lavishly.

@Ossan

It's true that the people you mentioned were repatriated back home. I always wondered for what reason NK release some and hold others as Japan insists. I know NK said other Japanese had died there and returned the remains which Japan, upon DNA tests, said aren't Japanese.

I'd TRULY like to know what NK's demands are. One would have to be a total imbecile to accept the " NK is asking for aid " line, which has always been the refrain from Japanese side after every talk.

If this and other funding is not used then let if pay for another year for the 10% tax increase not needed in the first place.

Why ?

Pitiful

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North Korea say : this is japanese murders and child abduction put on them so their high level employe don't stop to work from inside fear; or Japan don't loose their confidence in the first ministry.

The list was bogus in exchange of money trade.

Now, we are in a middle of ramdam. There is nothing to wait from North Corea on too many names.

Here they will choose the bigger lie instead of the path of truth if I take in TEPCO solution on their nuclear waste. Be prepared for fake photographs and express your wish for real truth even if discrete to have the unanswered but clear answer.

Good luck on that one.

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NadAge

@ Snickers

Sanctions are a form of war.

Stalled? Did they ever get off the ground?