Abe seeks cooperation with Moon on N Korea

Mr.Moon is apparently a left-leaning liberal who favours rapprochment with North Korea but also stands firm in opposition to their nuclear program. He offered an alternative approach from previous leaders and the voters accepted it. This is good news; hopefully we've seen the end of 19th. century style gunboat diplomacy in the region and cool heads will prevail.

Japan would improve its global public image no end if it shut up about these statues. The entire world knows what happened before and during the war and this endless whining about them is cringeworthy in the extreme.

Abe's a moron if he starts off the relationship trying to demand SK remove the statues or starting right away on the abductee issue. Moon wants to HEAL things with NK, not continue on Abe's personal war path.

It seems the South Koreans do not understand the meaning of "finally and irreversibly". There is little point discussing anything with them when they break agreements as soon as they are made.

Scrote: this has been explained to you and others who generalize about the situation and blame Korea, but here you go again. The government made the promise, not the people. If civics groups still go through the proper channels and put up a statue, nothing the government can do short of limiting freedoms. Until the government of Japan stops allowing "private individual visits" to Yasukuni (it's excuse despite them being official), you might want to cut down on the hypocrisy a little. Hell, they won't even stop the hate speech with all hte black trucks driving around, shouting, and even give them a police escort! 

I haven't seen the Korean government put up any statues, and Park even spoke to civics groups about Japan's demands, but could not convince them (and in fact lost popularity over the issue).

I hope that there's a war against North Korea and that Horrible Regime stops, its sad so many people in that giant Jail called North Korea, those who defend talking talking to Kim Hong Un are SELFISH people that only think of themselves. Somebody, someday have to stop that madness. and Erradicate that Horrible Dictatorship.

I don't think a war against the DPRK would be beneficial for anyone in the region. The ROK, China, Japan and the US would all be imbroiled in the ensuing conflict and possibly millions would perish.

Having said that; of course the regime is despicable and it will have to end eventually. Hopefully, this will come from within the country itself. There are so many factions; the party faithful, the military and the Kim dynasty to name but a few.

Toasted heretic, DPRK change will never come from inside, their rethoric, fear and punitive system is so powerfull that he even killed his own brother with Sarin and his uncle with an anti-air gun. Just remember he isbso evil that he controls a group of 2000 girl from 13 to 20 used as personal prostitutes. The man is really sick

kiyoshiMukai: "its sad so many people in that giant Jail called North Korea, those who defend talking talking to Kim Hong Un are SELFISH people that only think of themselves."

So, you feel sorry for the people trapped in the DPRK, but you would just as soon see a war that would kill most if not all of them than people try to talk to and dissuade Kim from going to war? That doesn't make much sense. The world is on the verge of war -- possibly nuclear, thanks to bombast like you are suggesting -- and that is because of external forces being unwilling to talk. It's not selfish to want to avoid war, my friend -- it's incredibly selfish for YOU to be so far away, on a Caribbean island, and suggest that talk is unfavorable and people need to die instead. Not you, of course, but people in the region.

Smithinjapan. Unlike you I have no fear, sooner or later we will die for some reason, I have passport and can go to Japan to fight if I have to. My grandfather was fighting the british and was a great soldier with honour and maybe someday I will follow his patch.

At the moment that we speak, USA can arrange a barrage of 1,500 Tomahawks with Their attack submarines against DPRK military targets. Also The F22 can be sent to finish the job destroying any remainin radar so F15, F18 can finish the Job.

smithinjapan Today 11:35 am JST

The government made the promise, not the people. If civics groups still go through the proper channels and put up a statue, nothing the government can do short of limiting freedoms.

The two statutes were illegally built on two pieces of land owned by the Korean government. It can easily remove them. Every Japanese knows this fact. "Korean government cannot remove them" sounds silly and insincere.

kiyoshiMukai: "Unlike you I have no fear"

No fear, or just no care about others? You don't have to be 'scared' to not want war, my friend. But again, you have no trouble volunteering others to die so that you can avoid having to listen to people try and engage in diplomatic solutions. Why don't you volunteer, bud?

"My grandfather was fighting the british and was a great soldier with honour and maybe someday I will follow his patch."

Go for it! Until then, don't volunteer others on your behalf -- it is the very definition of selfish, which you accused those of wanting peace to be. And didn't your grandfather flee, by the way? Just curious, as you said he was later unselfishly accepted by another nation, far away from where you want the fireworks to start.

"At the moment that we speak, USA can arrange a barrage of 1,500 Tomahawks with Their attack submarines against DPRK military targets. Also The F22 can be sent to finish the job destroying any remainin radar so F15, F18 can finish the Job."

You mean the tomahawks that did such a good job on the Syrian airport and cost the US $85 million dollars, and killed children? And you said you're NOT selfish? As soon as an attack commenced most of South Korea would be obliterated by conventional weapons, and no doubt Japan would be targeted. You seem to think it would be incredibly easy and there would be not deaths... well, aside from those North Koreans you called prisoners one minute but suddenly don't care if they became collateral damage.

CH3CHO: "The two statutes were illegally built on two pieces of land owned by the Korean government. It can easily remove them. Every Japanese knows this fact."

Wrong about the illegal part, and wrong about the rest. I like how you said, "Every Japanese knows this fact." I think you've also said in the past that "every Japanese knows Unit 731 was a well known and respected medical unit that saved lives" or something like that in your denial of the facts. Haven't you also said "Every Japanese knows there were no sex slaves"?

Fortunately the rest of the world knows the truth, and when Japan continues to make an issue of it over and over by bringing it up, we know who the laughing stock is, too.

Funny reading. Abe thinks he can just order him around as if he was a weak Japanese politition. But the reality of the fact is he wants to deescalate the problem and endeavor towards a peaceful relationship with the North. That would devestate the feelings of US arms dealers who plan to sell very expensive weapons to Japan, and totally stuff up Abe's plan to hide his failure to the Japanese people by scaring them with the "North Koreas gonna get you" card.

Toasted heretic, DPRK change will never come from inside, their rethoric, fear and punitive system is so powerfull that he even killed his own brother with Sarin and his uncle with an anti-air gun. Just remember he isbso evil that he controls a group of 2000 girl from 13 to 20 used as personal prostitutes. The man is really sick

Every revolution starts with the people. Wishing for all out war without realising the death and destruction that it will entail is selfish and won't solve anything.

Perhaps he is sick - being brought up with all that family history on his shoulders might tip anyone over the edge. But evil? Only if you believe in such a concept.

What's needed is dialogue and the key players to be involved.

I have passport and can go to Japan to fight if I have to. My grandfather was fighting the british and was a great soldier with honour and maybe someday I will follow his patch.

And the cycle continues.

smithinjapan May 10 07:20 pm JST

CH3CHO: "The two statutes were illegally built on two pieces of land owned by the Korean government. It can easily remove them. Every Japanese knows this fact."

Wrong about the illegal part, and wrong about the rest.

So, at least, you admit they were built on government land. Then why cannot the government remove them? Surely, it can.

"Alfie Noakes May 10 08:07 am JST

Japan would improve its global public image no end if it shut up about these statues. The entire world knows what happened before and during the war and this endless whining about them is cringeworthy in the extreme."

Those statues are a violation of the agreement reached in 2015 between South Korea and Japan. Japan has fulfilled it's end. South Korea needs to fulfill theirs. The South Korean people need to take control of SK-Jpn relations back from the Chong Dae Hyup.

Abe should have guts to have a more independent foreign policy.

The Prime Minister should go to  Pyong Yang and have direct talks with  Kim Jung Un.

Japan must led the way to help  alleviate poverty and hunger  in North Korea by providing massive humanitarian aid.

No doubt  Shinzo will win the Nobel Peace prize by a unanimous decision.