Kim says N Korea has made many concessions to Japan on abduction issue

He didn't authorize the abductions..... it was his idiot father. Me.... if N. Korea gets rid of the Nukes and gives Japan all the information it has... then lets shake hands and put it behind us. South Korea will be the country that takes a major hit if the two reunify. Also.... as much as Japan needs to bring in foreign labor, I wouldn't be bringing in a bunch of North Koreans.... still don't trust them that much.

The prime minister has said that tackling the abduction issue is his "life's work."

Right, and all along I thought it was changing the constitution. Oh right, different audience!

Nailed it again Yubaru.

Does anybody believe this narcissistic entitled fool? If he really wanted it settled it would have been long ago.

Thats a hand he won’t play or fold.

I agree with Kim. Japanese medias reported sentimentally standing on the side of the families of the abductees. North Korea may have a lot to say as South Korea do to Japan.

Not kidnapping people anymore doesn't count as a concession, Kim...

"That view is shared among officials of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea..."

Those that disagreed have been put in a re-education centre or shot.

The prime minister has said that tackling the abduction issue is his "life's work."

Right, and all along I thought it was changing the constitution. Oh right, different audience!

Damn. You beat me to it.

Nailed it again Yubaru.

Yep

Does anybody believe this narcissistic entitled fool? If he really wanted it settled it would have been long ago.

exactly

Thats a hand he won’t play or fold.

because nationalism is the only card that Abe has. He's an abismal failure in everything else. The economy, diplomacy, promotion of women's rights..a complete failure. All he really has is nationalism.

Maybe an accounting of what happened to the abductees would put an end to this issue but I can't say I'd trust NK in any case.

Kim may say same thing about denulcearization. N. Korea did make many concessions, so it is time to give me money and food,,,,,declaration of the war.

Abe needs right wing votes, so this will go on and on and on and on and on....

That was his father's fault, not this K.J.! Japan is too harsh over him!

I agree with Chairman Kim

extanker,

Probably, leader Kim Jong Un's logic goes like this: since North Korea made many concessions, it's Japan's turn to make concessions to North Korea's demands. 

But that is similar to the U.S.'s logic  that Futenma, that sits on stolen property, will be returned only if a new base for Futenma were to be built at Henoko.

This is a typical case of the pot calling the kettle black.

It's very possible Kim Jing Un doesn't have any info to give Japan. These abductions occurred before he was even born during his father's regime. Those who were part of this program are more than likely dead, or were purged, and the records associated with it are gone/lost. It's doubtful any special grave was made for the abductees. It's a sad situation for the families, but it is what it is.

When PM Abe talks about resolving this issue, what exactly does he mean?

What does he want?

What more does he expect NK to do?

Yubaru: "Right, and all along I thought it was changing the constitution. Oh right, different audience!"

Bing bang boom. Nailed it. Everything is Abe's life work depending on the audience he's pandering to. I think this is the 10th time he's vowed to resolve this issue while at the same time demanding NK and SK, China, and others forget about the atrocities Japan committed against them preceding and up to the end of WWII. Why can't Japan just forget about this resolved issue and let it go? They need to look forward and stop looking at the past. Right? Or wait... does that only go one way?

Japan has recently sounded out North Korea about a plan to establish a liaison office in Pyongyang to resolve the long-standing issue of past abductions of Japanese nationals by the North.

Great idea! As long as a liaison office is established in Tokyo to resolve the long-standing issue of past abductions of Korean nationals by Japan.

macv: "Great idea! As long as a liaison office is established in Tokyo to resolve the long-standing issue of past abductions of Korean nationals by Japan."

B-b-b-b-b-but THAT issue's been resolved! It's different! Same as "comfort women"! Resolved! It was Korea's fault anyway! Why don't they forget about history and get over it? Now hurry up and get back to the issue where WE were wronged!

Funny that a lot of the same people who think that Abe needs to drop the abduction issue are the same ones that don't think Korea needs to drop the comfort women issue.

What is the sane, reasonable argument to be had here? Japan abducted 5.4 million Koreans into slave labor including the military sex slavery of adolescent girls most of which is denied and whitewashed. How does Abe expect South or North Korea to react to abduction of few Japanese nationals when Japan refuses to deal with its own abductions?