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National debate rages in Japan over how to deal with North Korea

With North Korea opposing Tokyo's participation in nuclear talks, Japanese policymakers remain divided over how to deal with the defiant communist state.

Shinzo Abe, ruling Liberal Democratic Party secretary general, said Oct. 16 that Tokyo should take tough measures to address the issue of Japanese nationals kidnapped by North Korea.

"The kidnap issue remains unresolved, and there are various measures [to tackle the issue]," he said at an election campaign address in Yamagata.

Abe, a hard-liner on dealings with North Korea, said he would push for economic sanctions against Pyongyang to press it to fully resolve the kidnap issue.

Takenori Kanzaki, leader of the ruling coalition New Komeito party, also called for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to seek tough action against North Korea.

"Japan should take economic sanctions against North Korea, regardless of other countries' stance," he said in a statement marking the first anniversary of the return of five Japanese kidnapped by North Korea.

But Yasuo Fukuda, top government spokesman and chief cabinet secretary, ruled out economic sanctions against North Korea. "The government will seek dialogue with Pyongyang to resolve the issue, and is not considering the sanction option," he said.

North Korea admitted last year that it had kidnapped 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to train as spies. Eight of them have died but Japan believes North Korea abducted more Japanese citizens.

The kidnapping issue has angered the Japanese public. Tokyo has halted food aid to the famine-stricken North and has discontinued efforts to establish diplomatic relations.

North Korea has vowed not to allow Japan to attend future international talks over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, accusing Japan of supporting Washington's hard-line policy.

"Japan is a country of one hundred harms and no single good," declared Rodong Sinmun, the North's ruling party newspaper on Thursday. "Japan has lost its qualifications as a dialogue partner."
East-Asia-Intel, www.eas-asia-intel.com, October 17, 2003
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