If the abduction issue remains unsolved, Japanese people will never accept giving North Korea large amounts of economic aid.

Really ? Except the government and the families, who else is talking about the issue ?

If North Korea opens up, I think most people will wonder what kind of food can be imported.

There's no love lost here between these two countries. No effort by NK on the many they've kidnapped then Japan shouldn't give them a yen. Japan has no obligation to them and isn't their nanny. Why should they get any aid regardless of this issue?

Why should they get any aid regardless of this issue? giving up their nukes wont be free and Im guessing SK and America will have to give considerable aid to achieve that. At this point in time NK nukes are a much higher priority than Japans abduction issue. Japan seems to forget the thousands of families were displaced during the Korean war, many Koreans havent seen family members in decades, while they weren't directly abducted the result is the same, unknowing if there family members are still alive or if theyll ever see them again

Then don’t!

If North Korea opens up, I think most people will wonder what kind of food can be imported.

Exactly. This is just lip service. Nothing more.

Actually, I will go even further : in the eventuality that North Korea opens up and invites foreign companies, you can be sure the government will urge japanese companies to invest their, and declare that the abductees issue can be dealt with later.

Actually, I will go even further : in the eventuality that North Korea opens up and invites foreign companies, you can be sure the government will urge japanese companies to invest their, and declare that the abductees issue can be dealt with later.

This has been argued to be one of the reasons why the abuction issue was ignored by Japan during the 80s and 90s. Japanese companies wanted a piece of the action during that era (a new market of tens of millions of people) so the LDP were prepared to look the other way.

Most of the money is going to come from China and South Korea. I doubt Japan will or be expected to contribute a great deal. China will use its funding to continue the process of North Korea as client state.

The only way of good resolution to take back the still alive abductees is MONEY, if not, they will only say: Case closed. Actually, it will be much complicated if Japan of Abe govt. excessively insists from one way, NK authorities will bring another card, they will impose the NK abductees of that imperial Japan that means thousands people from there to compulsive works in Japan. Japan of Abe, please be smart how to use your diplomatic brains not your wrong direction mouth.

@zichiToday  12:53 pm JST Japan really needs to get over this because any further resolutions are unlikely and the remaining cases of 12 people can't hold the whole Japanese nation to transom. During the imperialist era Japan abducted hundreds of thousands with many of them losing their lives down miners and other dangerous sites.

Had I posted this it would have been deleted - right on Zichi hit nail on the head!

You can bet that Pyong Yang will squeeze Japan as hard as they can before any abductes are returned.