Japan to seek return of all its citizens held by North Korea

860people have been abducted? Was that an over estimation? How did they calculate that number and what made them define missing people were truly abducted by north korea agents?

Is it that time of year again already?

HollisBrown: It's not so much a 'time of year' as it is time for politicians to address the issue once the ruling party starts sliding into unpopularity and when their key platform pledges cannot be fulfilled.

elephant: No kidding! There have been reports in the past of people on the list showing up (or being found) in Japan that had just run away from family and that the family had reported as kidnapped. The list has almost no grounds and basically zero evidence save what NK has previously provided -- the rest you have to take completely on faith.

"“The Japanese people will not accept a half-baked response,” Keiji Furuya, minister in charge of the abduction issue, told a news conference."

Jeez... imagine a nation being insincere about something like a promise or apology, eh? What Furuya means is, "You must say exactly what we have scripted and give us the people missing even if they are not on the missing list."

"The government will seek to bring all abductees back regardless of whether they have been officially recognized as abducted, he said."

Gotta love it. Just like certain nations having to prove they have no WMDs. Get ready for Japan to single handedly derail talks with NK again just to try and scrape up a few lost popularity points for Abe and Co.

To me, It is not an important matter. I don't understand why Japan keep insisting in that. Japan is a so big country with so many interests. Why that? What Japan gains with that?

Japan should be more positive in the diplomacy area. Everyday when I read the news I see that Japan will not accept this, will not accept that, sanctions, retaliations, restrictions, etc.

Do Japan expect to make friends by doing that?

Gotta love it. Just like certain nations having to prove they have no WMDs. Get ready for Japan to single handedly derail talks with NK again just to try and scrape up a few lost popularity points for Abe and Co.

You've hit the nail on the head.

China and South korea wont let go of the sex slave issue or the war time issue and japan wont let go of the north Korean kidnapping Japanese citizens from Japanese soil issue, hypocrites on here expecting japan to drop the kidnap issue need to understand some reality.

Why should japan drop this, if you were kidnapped from your own country you'd hope your govt pursued you and the filth that took you wouldn't you?

elephant200Sep. 02, 2014 - 04:46PM JST 860people have been abducted? Was that an over estimation? How did they calculate that number and what made >them define missing people were truly abducted by north korea agents?

South Korea claims that 3800 people were abducted by North Korean agents. Out of which 480 are still alive. Very same questions could be raised.

smithinjapan: Get ready for Japan to single handedly derail talks with NK again just to try and scrape up a few lost popularity points for Abe and Co.

Japan has the right to press the North Korean dictatorship for the issue of this to be fully resolved

Japan is so adamant about having proof for anything that they've done in the past. How come they don't abide by the same philosophy that they've espoused? Where is the proof that there are that many Japanese abductors that are still alive, and where's the proof that they were abducted? There were many Japanese who collaborated with North Korea during the cold war. The so called abducted were people who defected to North Korea.

Japan and rest of the nations should stop and say to north korea's leader did your act right because like dictator. we than had to enother of that and we are going put up another dictator who can cause us to had another world war.

For those folks who fail to understand why this is a big issue in Japan, please consider the political implications for Abe et al. The percentage of voters who vote for Abe and his cronies are higher among older generations and for older generations, this is a bigger issue. These people and many other Japanese tend to forget or are not even aware of their misadventures in the past. That Japan abducted not hundreds of people as N.K. has done, but closer to ONE MILLION Chinese, Koreans and others during their colonial adventures leading up to 1945. Many of these people were forcibly brought to Japan and after the war it was too difficult to go back, or they did not have the means to do so. This is why the North Korea issue of Japanese is sadly a non-issue in the eyes of the world and why Abe's "bold" efforts continue to drag this country down and make it a laughing stock. Worse, it gives political scum in China a reason to distract their own people away from their epic failures as a nation and their appalling human rights situation. History does not lie. Politicians do. Innocent people like poor Megumi Yokota and her family have their worlds turned upside down regardless.

mataka

These people and many other Japanese tend to forget or are not even aware of their misadventures in the past. That Japan abducted not hundreds of people as N.K. has done, but closer to ONE MILLION Chinese, Koreans and others during their colonial adventures leading up to 1945. Many of these people were forcibly brought to Japan and after the war it was too difficult to go back, or they did not have the means to do so.

So sad. Do you know any books you can recommend to us on this matter? I'd like to be enlightened.

What cards has Furuya got? Aid funds?

Japan is so adamant about having proof for anything that they've done in the past. How come they don't abide by the same philosophy that they've espoused?

Because it's North Korea. They LIED about having ANY Japanese citizens being abducted first so they don't get the benefit.

The message is clear. Give back ALL (official or unofficial).

They LIED about having ANY Japanese citizens being abducted first so they don't get the benefit.

That argument falls apart when you realize Japan spreads lies through the attempted whitewashing of its history. Of course, these are separate lies, and separate wrongs that need to be addressed separately.

That argument falls apart when you realize Japan spreads lies through the attempted whitewashing of its history.

Wow. Is this "you did it too" type of argument which you denounce everytime someone else does it?

A couple of vital points to make. First, those kidnapped weren't idiots like the current trio of Americans who went to NK to preach Christianity (which is explicitly forbidden) and were subsequently imprisoned, they were kidnapped from Japanese soil. This is no less than an act of war. Second, even political hacks like Abe and his people take this stuff seriously. Not just to appease nationalist nut jobs or black van types, but because the first duty of any government is to protect its citizens from all threats, foreign and domestic. Maybe I'm giving Abe more credit than he deserves, but it's hard to imagine anyone in Japan who wouldn't take every opportunity to pursue this matter until its satisfactory conclusion.

Wow. Is this "you did it too" type of argument which you denounce everytime someone else does it?

It was me denouncing YOUR "well they did worse" argument.

Let's recap. The original comment:

Japan is so adamant about having proof for anything that they've done in the past. How come they don't abide by the same philosophy that they've espoused?

Your attempt at rebuffing it was to state 'well N. Korea did worse' (as if that somehow excuses Japanese actions):

Because it's North Korea. They LIED about having ANY Japanese citizens being abducted first so they don't get the benefit.

You were trying to discredit the other comment by saying 'well they did worse'. So I pointed out that they didn't do worse, that they do the same thing:

That argument falls apart when you realize Japan spreads lies through the attempted whitewashing of its history.

And then, I even pointed out that they don't cancel each other out, but rather both bear blame:

Of course, these are separate lies, and separate wrongs that need to be addressed separately.

No to answer your question, no it wasn't the "you did this too" argument.

Your attempt at rebuffing it was to state 'well N. Korea did worse' (as if that somehow excuses Japanese actions):

No. North Korea LIED about having any citizens being abducted. This isn't about what Japan did.

You were trying to discredit the other comment by saying 'well they did worse'. So I pointed out that they didn't do worse, that they do the same thing:

NK lied. Period. What is there to debate?

And then, I even pointed out that they don't cancel each other out, but rather both bear blame:

Bear to blame on Japanese citizens being kidnapped by North Koreans??

Come on guys. I can't understand why this matters so much for the japanese people. You have other problems like Fukushima, birth rate, economy...

If you are interested in this issue, find North Korean abductions of Japanese citizens - Wikipedia rSelect Japanese language version.

Come on guys. I can't understand why this matters so much for the japanese people. You have other problems like Fukushima, birth rate, economy...

Fukushima-Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare

Birth rate-Minister of State for Measures for Declining Birthrate

Economy-Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Abduction-Secretariat of the Headquarters for the Abduction Issue under Prime Minister Cabinet

Birth rate has been low. Bringing abducted Japanese back from N Korea will increase Japanese population a little bit more? These people come back and get jobs in Japan to increase employee counts? All related to other problems. Bring back them as their families want them back. USA gets excited for only 3 retainees could talk. Why not Japan? Japan can be humanitalian country, too.

Bringing abducted Japanese back from N Korea will increase Japanese population a little bit more? These people come back and get jobs in Japan to increase employee counts?

Japan can increase only the number of people who come back because they are not in reproductive ages. I hope they can get jobs, but ther are already many J people who cannot find jobs.

Bring back them as their families want them back.

Yes, this is the reason Japan wants them back.

There have been reports in the past of people on the list showing up (or being found) in Japan that had just run away from family and that the family had reported as kidnapped.

You write this a lot, smith. Could you actually back it up for a change? How many people have actually been reported? Where can I see a link about the reports?

I can't understand why this matters so much for the japanese people.

Let me get this straight. You can't understand why family, friends and countrymen would care about their citizens having been kidnapped? How sad. It is only natural for people to care about their family, friends and countrymen and want them to be returned if they are kidnapped. I could never understand anyone who would not feel this way.

Sorry, guys. Japan is absolutely within it rights and correct for wanting to resolve this and for wanting to make sure NK comes clean. Look at the history:

For decades NK claimed it held no Japanese citizens. It continued to claim this until 2002. Even when a group of abductees came to Japan, NK did not actually free the living abductees, right? They were allowed to 'visit Japan for 10 days' and were required to go back to NK. They dutifully wore their NK pins and did what they were told for the beginning of their trip back. Then the Japanese government told NK to stuff it, that the abductees wanted to stay in Japan and were staying. NK threw up quite a fuss about Japan stealing their people (you know, the very people NK abducted). Before admitting to having abducted the abductees that came back to Japan, NK denied their existence in NK for decades. I think it is perfectly reasonable for Japan and Japanese to want to make sure no more of their people in still in NK. If it were you there in NK, you'd want your family, friends and countrymen to do the same.

For decades NK claimed it held no Japanese citizens. It continued to claim this until 2002

At which time, they apologized to Japan, and released the Japanese and their family in North Korea. North Korea apologized already, why can't Japan move along already? It happened long time ago!

No. North Korea LIED about having any citizens being abducted.

Where is the source of the Japanese police that claim 860 Japanese were abducted? Where is the written evidence?

At which time, they apologized to Japan

Not exactly. Kim put the blame on some overzealous patriots attempting to claim they were basically working on thier own making it seem as though the North Korean government was not directly involved.

and released the Japanese and their family

But, again, that is not exactly what happened. Even when a group of abductees came to Japan, NK did not actually free the living abductees, right? They were allowed to 'visit Japan for 10 days' and were required to go back to NK. They dutifully wore their NK pins and did what they were told for the beginning of their trip back. Then the Japanese government told NK to stuff it, that the abductees wanted to stay in Japan and were staying. NK threw up quite a fuss about Japan stealing their people (you know, the very people NK abducted).

North Korea fully expected the abductees to be sent back to Japan in 2002 and they were angry when Japan refused to sent them back.

North Korea lied about having them, then they got angry when the abducted Japanese citizens wanted to stay in Japan.

Anyone who thinks that Japan's efforts to resolve the abductee issue with NKorea will "derail" US-SK talks with NKorea is under the mistaken impression that there is some thing to actually "derail" at this time.

@Papi2013

So North Korea & South Korea can say

At which time, they apologized to Japan,

North Korea apologized already, why can't Japan move along already? It happened long time ago!

but if Japan makes the same exact comment regarding WW2 or the Comfort Women issue, what your (or their) reaction has always been?

And when Japan asks, regarding above historical/political issues above,

Where is the source of the Japanese police that claim 860 Japanese were abducted? Where is the written evidence?

Korea supporters' response has always been "Hear the victims voice!" "We have testimonies!" or simply quotes from Asahi Shimbun which now is officially admitted as a full of crap. Just curious.