September 23, 2023
Opinion

Japan, North Korea reinvestigation into the abductees is a farce

Now, as in 2008, the North has too much at stake to give a full accounting for all Japanese abductees

North Korea has agreed to conduct a re-investigation into Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and ’80s. In return, Japan has promised to ease sanctions on Pyongyang once the reinvestigation officially starts.

So, can we expect key Japanese abductees such as Megumi Yokota to return from North Korea? Will this fresh agreement by Tokyo and Pyongyang lead to the normalization of bilateral relations? Will this open the gates for Japan’s wartime reparations towards North Korea in future? The chances for all of these things are slim.