politics

N Korea trying to divide Tokyo and Washington, says Komura

23 Comments

Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura on Sunday warned against North Korea's drive to divide Japan and the United States following a dramatic turn in Washington-Pyongyang ties last week.

The U.S. action to remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism dealt a blow to Japan as the country counted on a hard U.S. stance against North Korea for diplomatic leverage to settle the long-standing issue of the North's abductions of Japanese nationals.

The thaw in U.S.-North Korea ties is likely to force Japan to perform a balancing act in the six-nation framework, joining a multinational bid to talk North Korea into abandoning its nuclear arsenal and getting tough with it bilaterally on the abduction issue.

"North Korea's biggest tactics is to estrange Japan from the United States and divide them," Komura said on NHK.

But neither Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda nor U.S. President George W Bush would "follow it to please North Korea," he added. "What is necessary is that Japan and the United States cooperate in dealing with North Korea."

Japan has been left in a dilemma as it has been using the delisting issue as leverage to pressure the North to resolve an emotionally charged row over Japanese nationals kidnapped by Pyongyang agents.

The development came amid media speculation here in recent weeks that Bush might meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il if and when they attend the Aug 8 opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Beijing.

The weekly Shukan Bunshun, the daily Nikkan Gendai and other media have reported China invited Kim to attend the ceremony and that plans were afoot to arrange an unprecedented U.S.-North Korean summit.

North Korea admitted in 2002 that it abducted Japanese civilians in the 1970s and 1980s to train its spies in Japanese culture and language.

It has since returned five victims and their families and earlier declared the case was closed as all other kidnap victims were dead.

Japan has insisted that there are other kidnap victims who are alive but kept in the North possibly because they knew secrets of the reclusive communist state.

© Wire reports

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

23 Comments
Login to comment

what Komura knows would not fill the empty can of nodogoshi nama stuffed under the drivers seat of his car.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Baseless but not surprising and many such statements will appear for 45 days till the final day, the day NK will be delisted from terror nations.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Very true that romulus!

I'm personally getting sick of hearing about Japan whining of the North Korean abductions.

Yeah sure what North Korea did was wrong, but the whole world knows this already. The best thing Japan could do now is to just continue peaceful negotiations for improving ties with North Korea, and who knows, in years to come, NK may even be more open to new ideas as a result.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

North korea/South korea/Japan/USA all seek to get richer. Hyundai versus toyota vs Ford vs North korea.

North korea car is the poorest.

GWB administrations has been always a policy of big supporter, of underdogs of world, that will the poorest. Just a personal view.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Youdontknow,

exactly. NK is not trying to put a wedge between the US and Japan, Japanese stubborn ego and lack of ability in foreign relations is doing all the hard work.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Thinking nations have learned long ago: "Never trust America!"

0 ( +0 / -0 )

' Thinking nations have learned long ago: "Never trust America!" '

North Korea's Stalinist media claques bleat the very same thing.

Got another slogan for us?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Thinking nations have learned long ago: "Never trust America!""

"North Korea's Stalinist media claques bleat the very same thing. Got another slogan for us?"

I guess that goes to show you that birds of feather do indeed flock together.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And if they are? You're going to follow whatever America does, Japan, no matter how hard you make it look like you are trying to do something for these abductees.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Never trust America!"

Trust who, then?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

it is a shame that for years Japan's main focus on all international policy has been the abduction issue (and occasionally a few piddly islands that no-one lives on). no they shouldnt be forgotten or ignored but there are FAR more pressing issues in Japan now that affect THOUSANDS more people EVERYDAY. not that the govt will ever do anything other than guts poses and blow hot air about the future.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japanese Politicians are so paranoid. They need a psychiatrist.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"The thaw in U.S.-North Korea ties is likely to force Japan to perform a balancing act in the six-nation framework, joining a multinational bid to talk North Korea into abandoning its nuclear arsenal and getting tough with it bilaterally on the abduction issue."

Nah, it's just going to force Japan to try and get the world's attention of the cone shape hat it wears while sitting in the corner during the meetings. Japan is useless when it comes to international talks; it has zero levy, and does nothing but whine about its own interests (which, with zero levy makes it laughable). Basically, Japan has been the lapdog of the US so long it sees a bit of a threat here from NK -- it doesn't want a new dog in the mix of the litter.

sargie and redmeat: you guys care to get on topic here?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

rajakumar, what the hell are you talking about ?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

wilbur - You are obviously unfamiliar with Raj's posts! His post here is perfectly clear to me! I'd translate this one here for you, but the Mod would delete it, saying "Don't speak for other posters," which I agree with! Just re-read it a few times and read some of his previous posts, and I'm sure you'll get it!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Trust who, then?

Trust North Korea, and then act confused when they don't meet the mandate again.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Komura's comment sounds slightly paranoid, but with North Korea you never know. Also about Japan whining about the abductions, had it been the US, or a lot of other countries, there already would have been a war. It's Japan's duty to her citizens to protect them and seek closure on the issue. If it was such an unimportant issue, North Korea should have come clean a long time ago.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

One of the people they are trying to get information on is an American citizen who was taken in 2000. As far as not trusting the US that goes for all nations at some time they have invaded, lied, killed , or done something else to tarnish their image. Country bashing is just not smart.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

A lot of ignorant posts here, lets not forget that North Korea test fired a missile over Japan less than 10 years ago. Doesnt sound very paranoid to me to be worried about North Korea. If the US was divided from Japan North Korea would probably nuke Tokyo in a second.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If the US was divided from Japan North Korea would probably nuke Tokyo in a second.

Highly doubtful. But a nuke on Seoul is highly likely and the main reason why the US hasn't invaded North Korea yet. 2 million would be dead in mere minutes.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It sounds more like a case of trying to get everybody on the same side. I seems that Japan thought it had the US to back her on policies concerning N. Korea. But now the US does something like this, and it's almost a slap in the face.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If the US was divided from Japan North Korea would probably nuke Tokyo in a second.

Very unlikely, Japan has been working on her missile defense program ever since North Korea started acting like a spoiled child and started lobbing taepodong missiles over Japan and at her (for those that fell into the Sea of Japan). Also even a regime as crazy as Kim Jong-il would be hesitant to nuke the world's largest metropolis.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Let the NKoreans keep working on dividing the US and Japan. Japan in he meantime has gotten much closer to China, and unlike Nkorea aren't China's beggar neighbor that NKorea is. In a couple of years China will be lisening to Japan and putting pressure on NKorea.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites