politics

Lawmaker urged not to visit N Korea

28 Comments

House of Representatives Vice Speaker Seishiro Eto, who is planning to visit North Korea in mid-November, has been urged by the government to reconsider his plan.

Eto has signalled his intention to visit North Korea on Nov 15 as part of a delegation of two bipartisan parliamentary groups which advocate the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and North Korea. The visit coincides with the Japan-North Korea soccer game which is part of the Asian qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Currently, there are no plans for Eto to meet any high-ranking North Korean officials during his visit.

Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told a news conference that he felt Eto's trip was not appropriate, considering the current tensions between Japan and North Korea, Fuji TV reported.

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28 Comments
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considering the current tensions between Japan and North Korea,

namely....?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Question: What is exactly the problem with his visit? I don't see anything wrong with it. As it says above:

The visit coincides with the Japan-North Korea soccer game which is part of the Asian qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

So, the soccer team can visit there to play a game, but he can't visit there as a part of a delegation which advocates the normalization of relations between Japan And North Korea? Preposterous! I don't get the government on this one. Go over there and play a game, but don't go over there and try to help to normalize relations?

You can't have peace by doing nothing at all and just waiting for the situation to fix itself.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

NOT APPROPIATE? People who urging peace and reconciliation in north east asia were doing wrong things again? Look, the Japanese society has anti-north Korean resentment, some rightists goto harassing north Korean students in japan those orgies were ignored by the japanese police in a so called 'lawful nation'....this is what the 'not appropriate' means!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I think Mr Eto has inspires the high level of patriotic and love of North Koreans in japan over their fatherland, please remember the Japanese north Korean soccer player 'Jung Tae-Se' he cries when he heard the anthem of DPRK and was stunned to all Kporean people in the south and overseas! His tears reflected how much 'unappropriate treatment' by the Japanese society against North Koreans! A mass a collective punishment and racial discriminations against a group of minorities who were being 'willfully forgotton'! Go Mr Eto go go go! The DPJ were a bunch of spinless political jokers worst than LDP!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

More proof Japan doesn't want peace and never did. After all they have to have some "threat" to justify huge US military bases and massive waste spending (Japan ranks #7 in military spending). Everyone knows what would happen to US-china relations once there is a peace treaty with n Korea. US military would have to leave; this is about china, and the Japanese using the americans to counter them. If you read up on it, he US and Japan have played N Korea over and over, breaking promises and not following through with their agreements, often wrongfully blaming Korea. To be sure N Korea is criminal, but peace is in their interest. Chomsky writes about it, he's far more credible than this Gemba guy who HIMSELF will likely have to travel to N Korea as f minister. Freedom of movement is a human right enshrined in UN conventions Japan ratified.

-4 ( +0 / -3 )

Sounds like a good ideal to me. He should visit the North Korea. The reason the North faction of Korea is Japan's foe is because of the South faction. South Korea does not like Japan so why should we help them? We have renounced war, lets become neutral in the Korean civil war.

-6 ( +0 / -5 )

YuriOtani

We have renounced war, lets become neutral in the Korean civil war.

Thats so funny coming from you when just in the past couple of weeks you have been calling for military action over the Russian flights. Your stance jumps around so much its seems like you dont know what you want.

One minute you want the US out of Japan, then you want them to stay. Next you say you have renounced war yet last week you wanted the same US you want out of Japan to come to your aid with the big bad Russians.

Seriously make up your mind.

2 ( +2 / -1 )

YuriOtani,

There really does seem to be a bit of flip flopping or strange logic to your comments. But don't pretend you are neutral in Korean affairs. In 1895 you guys demanded Korea but the Russians said no (treaty of Shimonoseki), then you fought Russia in 1905. Then you took Korea by force and occupied it and killed tens of thousands fro 1910-1945. Something like 60,000 Koreans are still missing, and you have the nerve to talk about a few dozen Japanese.

More importantly Korea was one country till you came along. If there was a civil war YOU started it, and the US was happy to fight a war to get a client (ehh vassal) state. And don't pretend you didn't launch a spy satellite last week or hat you don't support EVERY single US action against n Korea, including he live fire military exercise that put artillery shells in disputed n Korean territory. When the north responsed and killed a few people you acted like you hadn't provoked them.

No one believes your propaganda. Not all "gaijin" are dumb enough to go with the Japanese rhetoric of "we love peace" nonsense. If you want peace, why do have so many US bases, soldiers and weapons in Japan? Why did your govt yesterday tell a parliament member not to go to Korea on a peace seeking initiative? Peace my foot!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

He just wants to visit his "motherland". Don't waste taxpayers' money if you're only going to watch the soccer game.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@zichi I agree, it so much better to have dialogue than not. There are so many good things that can come out of it. Sometimes, I am irritated with Japan and the U.S. for not taking the high road and trying to engage North Korea more often. You don't have to feed them or anything like that. Just make an effort, since they are too pig-headed to. If we follow the same policy as them, than we are also pig-headed.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japan and South Korea are the only two countries that do not recognize North Korea (for both countries, South Korea is the legitimate government for the whole of korean peninsula). There are no diplomatic relations between both countries. Therefore it makes sense for Japan to avoid normalizing relations with the stalinist-fascist dictatorship. However, this doesn't mean negotiations or discussions between officials of both countries could not happen.

0 ( +0 / -1 )

Can I go with him? I want to watch the game there on the spot.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I see no problem with them going given that it is in the interest of normalization of ties. If they were going there to demand answers in regards to the abductees or something, I could see it (and I've NO doubt we'll hear about how the Yokotas are disappointed about them going to seek better relations with NK), but Gemba is making things worse by not keeping his yap shut and suggesting they don't go.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

So, the soccer team can visit there to play a game, but he can't visit there as a part of a delegation which advocates the normalization of relations between Japan And North Korea? Preposterous! I don't get the government on this one. Go over there and play a game, but don't go over there and try to help to normalize relations?

I don't get the government on so many common sense issues. Even he go and is successful, it only would be a small step in the right direction but never best friends forever. My guess N-Korea is a necessary evil for the J-government to for example justify so many US military on Okinawa and elsewhere in Japan.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Jan

My guess N-Korea is a necessary evil for the J-government to for example justify so many US military on Okinawa and elsewhere in Japan.

Come on, now. Enough of this nonsense that Japan has to make North Korea a necessary evil to validate the US presence here. I hate hearing such nonsense. The presence in Japan can easily be validated by the saber rattling of North Korea and a fear of China. Let's think for ourselves and stop just repeating what we have heard that suits our own political philosophy and desired belief system and sit back and think for ourselves.

What good is it to Japan/USA to have the U.S. military here in Japan if there is no danger?

In what evil way are Japan/USA benefiting from the presence if there is no danger at all? Honestly? They amy look like the same question but look at them carefully, please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

don't pretend you are neutral in Korean affairs. In 1895 you guys demanded Korea but the Russians said no (treaty of Shimonoseki), then you fought Russia in 1905. Then you took Korea by force and occupied it and killed tens of thousands fro 1910-1945.

@beangry. What is with all of this “YOU” stuff? Yuri was most likely not even born, so it is pretty unfair to use the word “YOU” in your argument.

Something like 60,000 Koreans are still missing, and you have the nerve to talk about a few dozen Japanese.

But I do have to agree with you on this one. The Japanese have a very nasty habit of whining and whining about 12 Japanese who were kidnapped by the North Koreans and really ignore the issue of the occupation and rape of Korea. That is a sad point for Japanese people and I, too, get irritated when I hear them complain about this. I want to say the say, “Get Off It!”. But there is a huge difference though. The people who occupied Korea are dead and gone. The people who kidnapped the 12 Japanese are still alive and most likely still in power. One event ended more than 65 years ago while the other one is still an ongoing issue and did not happen to long ago.

More importantly Korea was one country till you came along. If there was a civil war YOU started it, and the US was happy to fight a war to get a client (ehh vassal) state.

Actually, no Japan didn’t start the Korean war. It was started because of a difference in political ideologies between the U.S. and the Soviets. I might be wrong about the participants but I am sure that Japan was not a party to the war. The war would have happened anyway. The malarkey about the U.S. wanting a vassal state, as you so put it is also unfair. It was due to what I just said earlier. Enough with the EVIL American business. That barking dog has gotten old and needs to be retired.

And don't pretend you didn't launch a spy satellite last week or hat you don't support EVERY single US action against n Korea, including he live fire military exercise that put artillery shells in disputed n Korean territory.

Come on, now. Get off it. The North Koreans also participate in live fire training drills as well.

To suggest that the U.S. and the South are the only one doing so and that the North is a victim of sabre-rattling by the U.S. and the ROK is hypocritical.

When the north responsed and killed a few people you acted like you hadn't provoked them.

Nobody provoked them. Especially Yuri!!! Try to find a better word than “you”. It shows that your being too emotional.

No one believes your propaganda. Not all "gaijin" are dumb enough to go with the Japanese rhetoric of "we love peace" nonsense. If you want peace, why do have so many US bases, soldiers and weapons in Japan?

Japan has US troops just because of North Korea and China. Who are we kidding here? I’m sure you would love the US to ditch Japan so that Japan’s position would be weakened.

Why did your govt yesterday tell a parliament member not to go to Korea on a peace seeking initiative? Peace my foot!

I commented on this issue just yesterday. It is called stupid, short-sighted, selfish politicians who are out for their own interest. I am sure the ruling party doesn’t want him to go to the north for fear that if he were able to come away with something that it would make them look bad. Such is politics in Japan. Not much urgency in one’s country, just a desire to promote one’s own “personal” agenda.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Actually wasn't the Treaty of Shimonoseki between Japan and China?

Let's get some facts on the table. In 1895 China ceded Korea to Japan in the the "Treaty of Shimonoseki". The Russo-Japanese War developed out of the rivalry between Russia and Japan for dominance in Korea and Manchuria. In 1898 Russia had pressured China into granting it a lease for the strategically important port of Port Arthur (now Lü-shun), at the tip of the Liaotung Peninsula, in southern Manchuria. Russia thereby entered into occupation of the peninsula, even though, in concert with other European powers, it had forced Japan to relinquish just such a right after the latter's decisive victory over China in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95. Moreover, in 1896 Russia had concluded an alliance with China against Japan and, in the process, had won rights to extend the Trans-Siberian Railroad across Chinese-held Manchuria to the Russian seaport of Vladivostok, thus gaining control of an important strip of Manchurian territory.

So, you see it was not only Japan but Russia that wanted to control the Korean peninsula. Both for their own purposes. So, let's get off of just blaming Japan for everything. What they did was wrong. Severely wrong, but I believe that Japan was just doing the same thing that Western countries were doing. Japan was looked down on by western powers. Germany, England, France and Russia all took advantage of a weak China at the time.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Third time, Japan needs to make friends and mend fences. South Korea will never forgive us. Time to get out of the south's war. Let him go, what is the PM so afraid of, peace?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

advocate the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and North Korea.

US, S. Korea, Russia, China and Japan on the boat.

Do not rock the boat.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It is time for Japan to show that they are not a country who develop hatred. Past is past. For the last 60 years Japan was a leader in the feild of ODA, and following the rules they had set after WWII. Show this to NK by going to NK. I am sure we will get the response. Korean people are moved by heart not with brain. Love them they will love you back. Communism is over. Because of China they keep it. But NK want to be a country as one Korea with dignity. Japan can help and they will become your alley.

GO to NK soon...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Korean people are moved by heart not with brain.

@realmind. Ouch. I hope nobody takes offense to that, but I do agree that Koreans are moved by the heart quite a lot and that is good in most cases.

But Communism is not over. And the only way that Japanese-Koreans relations will get better is if people on both sides of the pond do a lot of history/soul searching. Japan would need to get rid of its old farts in politics who just love to tick the Chinese and the Koreans off for their own political gain with their local constituents and continuously ignore what is best for the overall well-being of Japan. It would need to completely revamp its education system as it pertains to WWII and its occupation of so much of Asia. Send kids to South Korea and China to let them see what their forefathers REALLY did instead of just Hiroshima and Nagasaki and playing the "vicims card". And the Koreans would need to calm down about the whole occupation of its country by the Japanese and realize that the people who did those horrible things, are for the most part, dead and gone and today's people are different. That is the only way that the Japanese and the Koreans are ever going to get along.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

China must control the DPRK! China already has enough poor people so do they need North Korea to implode?? No!! Peace is possible but only if China plays along too! North Korea has proven time and time again that they are evil and can not be trusted thanks to China always supporting Pyongyang!!!?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Sorry iPhone not as easy to use as I thought while enjoying my yakiniku and ranting against China and North Korea. Sorry to dear JT!!!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Elbudo I 100% agree. Exactly!!!!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Isolating North Korea has worked so well over these 58 years. Another winning plan from the people who also brought us the isolating of Cuba. All of these plans just hurt the common people and make the government more radical. Sort of like pouring petrol on a burning fire. How long must Japan be tied to a strategy that does not work?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Here, here, Yuri. Isolating North Korea is not going to do anything. Actually, it has done nothing but give North Korea time to build nuclear weapons. Great job. What a bunch of idiots.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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