Japan must put diplomatic normalization with DPRK before abductee issue: former PM



Interviews Japan must put diplomatic normalization with DPRK before abductee issue: former PM Yukio Hatoyama says improving relations must come before any resolution of the decades-long dispute Chad O'Carroll \| Kosuke Takahashi June 3, 2019 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump Attend a State Banquet at the Imperial Palace - White House - Public domain While U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have grown closer in the past year, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been left in the cold. North Korea’s abduction of Japanese nationals is a long-running source of contention between the two nations. Anger still simmers among many about the abductees, most famously Megumi Yokota, who was kidnapped at the age of 13 in 1977. Abe has a deep dilemma: repatriating abductees is a top priority. But as long as he sticks to it, North Korea flatly refuses to talk to the Japanese Prime Minister. The Japanese © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

Interviews

Japan must put diplomatic normalization with DPRK before abductee issue: former PM

Yukio Hatoyama says improving relations must come before any resolution of the decades-long dispute

Chad O'Carroll | Kosuke Takahashi June 3, 2019

Japan must put diplomatic normalization with DPRK before abductee issue: former PM

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump Attend a State Banquet at the Imperial Palace - White House - Public domain

While U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have grown closer in the past year, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been left in the cold.

North Korea’s abduction of Japanese nationals is a long-running source of contention between the two nations. Anger still simmers among many about the abductees, most famously Megumi Yokota, who was kidnapped at the age of 13 in 1977.

Abe has a deep dilemma: repatriating abductees is a top priority. But as long as he sticks to it, North Korea flatly refuses to talk to the Japanese Prime Minister.

The Japanese

About the Authors

Chad O'Carroll

Chad O'Carroll is the founder of NK News/NK Pro and related holding company Korea Risk Group. In addition to being the group's CEO, O'Carroll is a frequent writer and commentator about the Koreas, having written about the two nations since 2010. He has visited the DPRK multiple times, worked and lived in Washington, D.C. with a focus on peninsula issues, and lived in the ROK since 2016.

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Kosuke Takahashi

Kosuke Takahashi is a Tokyo-based journalist. His work has appeared in the Asahi Shimbun, Bloomberg, Asia Times, Jane's Defence Weekly and The Diplomat, among other publications. You can follow him on Twitter.

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