Abstract
The abductions by North Korea are very emotional issues for Japanese people in that their friends and family might be abducted by North Korea. The abduction was not an essential issue at the first round of Japan- North Korea normalisation talks, but it has become a serious issue after North Korea admitted the abduction. Japanese politicians are not able to send aid to North Korea to improve its relationship, because the popularity of North Korea is very low in Japan. Also, because of its low economic potential, there is little benefit for Japanese to normalize its relationship.
Introduction
Abductions by North Korea were the most un-expected reason for victims' families and for other Japanese citizens as well. The abduction issues were not important for first Japan-North Korea normalisation talk. It took about twenty to thirty years for the real reasons of 'disappearing Japanese people' to become apparent, and since North Korea admitted the abductions, the Japanese government has not been able to progress in its normalisation talks. People from more than twelve countries have likely been abducted, but North Korea has admitted only thirteen Japanese cases, and other governments are not taking a serious stance against North Korea.
Yasushi and Fukie’s case.
The closest related case of abductions for me is Yasushi Timura and Fukie Hamamoto's case. They were an engaged couple and disappeared on the night of July 7, 1978, when they went driving to a lookout point at a local park on the date of the Japanese star festival. This park is about ten minutes drive from my father's family house, and their ages were almost the same as my parents. They were twenty-three years old at the time, and I am twenty-two years old now. I have been to the park sometimes as well. It is a good place to enjoy scenery of Wakasa-bay with many cherry trees. When Yasuhi and Fukie disappeared, people started searching but they found only his light truck. At the time, people thought the couple had eloped together, but they left their car at the park and both parents were happy with their marriage and there was no reason for them to escape. More than ten years later, in the 1990’s, this incident appeared as one of a sequence of abductions by North Korea. Twenty years later, in 1998, their parents, other victims’ families and supporters established a NGO; the Japanese rescue movement, to lobby the Japanese government to rescue the victims. Fortunately, North Korea has admitted this case and they were able to come back to Japan in 2002, twenty-four years after the event. At the time North Korea admitted the abductions of thirteen Japanese and returned five people and informed that eight victims had died by accident or suicide. Yasuhi’s father is still alive and he was able to meet his son when they came back, but Yasushi’s mother and Fukie’s parents had passed away already. Yasushi and Fukie had married in North Korea and have two sons and a daughter. Those children were able to come to Japan in 2004, two years after their parents went to Japan. If I were kidnapped tonight, I would be forty-six years old when I would next be able to meet my parents.
Its influences upon Japan-North Korea normalisation talk.
Japan-North Korea normalisation talks have started in 1991 after the collapse of USSR. Since the beginning, Japanese government have been asking North Korea to deal with the problems, but North Korea had not admitted (MOFA, 2006). After normalisation of Russia-South Korea relationship in 1990 and normalisation of China- South Korea relationship in 1991, the Japanese government had less passion for working on the abduction problems. Especially, after inter- Korean summit meeting in 2000, Japan became the only country, which did not have friendly relationship with North Korea in the area around the Sea of Japan. The Japanese government donated five hundred tons of rice through the World Food Program in 2000, regardless of progress of the abduction problems, to improve Japan- North Korea relations and to support North Korean people in poverty. However, it was the best season for Japan and North Korea's relationship. In 1997, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan made a suggestion to deal with the abduction issues, that North Korea can release abducted victims in third country without admitting the crime and Japanese can find them 'accidentally' so they can meet their family. When this suggestion was leaked to the Japanese Mass media, left-wing parties started accusing governing parties that they made up the abduction issue to break-up friendly relations with North Korea. (Lee, 2002)(Kim, 2006).
When Japanese prime minister went to Pyongyang for a summit meeting, North Korea finally admitted the abduction and returned five Japanese, but the announcement that eight other Japanese had died was surprising. Also, Japanese guard boats had a gunfight against a suspicious boat in the East China Sea in 2001, and the boat was likely North Korean. North Korea has decreased in popularity rapidly in Japan. According to a survey, more than seventy percent of Japanese people feel North Korea as a threat. In 2004, Japanese prime minister went to Pyongyang again for a second summit meeting and North Korea released families of returned victims and Japan donated two hundred tons of food and ten million dollars worth of medical aid, but it could not improve the situation. North Korea denied abductions of other Japanese people and halted further investigation. Japanese people are not satisfied with their argument. Moreover, because North Korea consists of less than one percent as a Japanese trade partner, there is no need to normalise its relationship for economic reasons. (Lee, 2002)(Kim, 2006). Recently, the Japan- North Korea normalisation talks were disrupted not only by the abduction issues but also by North Korean nuclear testing and development of weapons of mass destruction. Moreover, because of low popularity of North Korea in Japan, Japanese governing parties cannot promise reward to North Korea for giving up those weapons.
Abduction worldwide
The Japanese government recognised seventeen cases as abductions but the NGO: Japanese rescue movement suspects there are more than a hundred Japanese victims and asks Japan for further investigations and diplomatic pressures. Nearly five hundred people seem to have been abducted from South Korea and potential victims are believed to be from twelve countries, such as Malaysia, France, Italy, Netherlands and China. North Korea had admitted abductions of only thirteen Japanese. (NARKN, 2006). South Korea is likely to ignore the abduction issues to improve its relationship with North Korea.
Conclusion:
The ‘1997 suggestion’ is the only solution in the abduction issue for normalising relationship and decreasing development of weapons of mass destruction. North Korea has admitted the thirteen cases but they do not have to admit other cases, as long as families are able to meet each other. However, there is no necessity for Japan to normalise its relationship because North Korea is not an important trade partner.
The abductions by North Korea are very emotional issues for Japanese people in that their friends and family might be abducted by North Korea. The abduction was not an essential issue at the first round of Japan- North Korea normalisation talks, but it has become a serious issue after North Korea admitted the abduction. Japanese politicians are not able to send aid to North Korea to improve its relationship, because the popularity of North Korea is very low in Japan. Also, because of its low economic potential, there is little benefit for Japanese to normalize its relationship.
Introduction
Abductions by North Korea were the most un-expected reason for victims' families and for other Japanese citizens as well. The abduction issues were not important for first Japan-North Korea normalisation talk. It took about twenty to thirty years for the real reasons of 'disappearing Japanese people' to become apparent, and since North Korea admitted the abductions, the Japanese government has not been able to progress in its normalisation talks. People from more than twelve countries have likely been abducted, but North Korea has admitted only thirteen Japanese cases, and other governments are not taking a serious stance against North Korea.
Yasushi and Fukie’s case.
The closest related case of abductions for me is Yasushi Timura and Fukie Hamamoto's case. They were an engaged couple and disappeared on the night of July 7, 1978, when they went driving to a lookout point at a local park on the date of the Japanese star festival. This park is about ten minutes drive from my father's family house, and their ages were almost the same as my parents. They were twenty-three years old at the time, and I am twenty-two years old now. I have been to the park sometimes as well. It is a good place to enjoy scenery of Wakasa-bay with many cherry trees. When Yasuhi and Fukie disappeared, people started searching but they found only his light truck. At the time, people thought the couple had eloped together, but they left their car at the park and both parents were happy with their marriage and there was no reason for them to escape. More than ten years later, in the 1990’s, this incident appeared as one of a sequence of abductions by North Korea. Twenty years later, in 1998, their parents, other victims’ families and supporters established a NGO; the Japanese rescue movement, to lobby the Japanese government to rescue the victims. Fortunately, North Korea has admitted this case and they were able to come back to Japan in 2002, twenty-four years after the event. At the time North Korea admitted the abductions of thirteen Japanese and returned five people and informed that eight victims had died by accident or suicide. Yasuhi’s father is still alive and he was able to meet his son when they came back, but Yasushi’s mother and Fukie’s parents had passed away already. Yasushi and Fukie had married in North Korea and have two sons and a daughter. Those children were able to come to Japan in 2004, two years after their parents went to Japan. If I were kidnapped tonight, I would be forty-six years old when I would next be able to meet my parents.
Its influences upon Japan-North Korea normalisation talk.
Japan-North Korea normalisation talks have started in 1991 after the collapse of USSR. Since the beginning, Japanese government have been asking North Korea to deal with the problems, but North Korea had not admitted (MOFA, 2006). After normalisation of Russia-South Korea relationship in 1990 and normalisation of China- South Korea relationship in 1991, the Japanese government had less passion for working on the abduction problems. Especially, after inter- Korean summit meeting in 2000, Japan became the only country, which did not have friendly relationship with North Korea in the area around the Sea of Japan. The Japanese government donated five hundred tons of rice through the World Food Program in 2000, regardless of progress of the abduction problems, to improve Japan- North Korea relations and to support North Korean people in poverty. However, it was the best season for Japan and North Korea's relationship. In 1997, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan made a suggestion to deal with the abduction issues, that North Korea can release abducted victims in third country without admitting the crime and Japanese can find them 'accidentally' so they can meet their family. When this suggestion was leaked to the Japanese Mass media, left-wing parties started accusing governing parties that they made up the abduction issue to break-up friendly relations with North Korea. (Lee, 2002)(Kim, 2006).
When Japanese prime minister went to Pyongyang for a summit meeting, North Korea finally admitted the abduction and returned five Japanese, but the announcement that eight other Japanese had died was surprising. Also, Japanese guard boats had a gunfight against a suspicious boat in the East China Sea in 2001, and the boat was likely North Korean. North Korea has decreased in popularity rapidly in Japan. According to a survey, more than seventy percent of Japanese people feel North Korea as a threat. In 2004, Japanese prime minister went to Pyongyang again for a second summit meeting and North Korea released families of returned victims and Japan donated two hundred tons of food and ten million dollars worth of medical aid, but it could not improve the situation. North Korea denied abductions of other Japanese people and halted further investigation. Japanese people are not satisfied with their argument. Moreover, because North Korea consists of less than one percent as a Japanese trade partner, there is no need to normalise its relationship for economic reasons. (Lee, 2002)(Kim, 2006). Recently, the Japan- North Korea normalisation talks were disrupted not only by the abduction issues but also by North Korean nuclear testing and development of weapons of mass destruction. Moreover, because of low popularity of North Korea in Japan, Japanese governing parties cannot promise reward to North Korea for giving up those weapons.
Abduction worldwide
The Japanese government recognised seventeen cases as abductions but the NGO: Japanese rescue movement suspects there are more than a hundred Japanese victims and asks Japan for further investigations and diplomatic pressures. Nearly five hundred people seem to have been abducted from South Korea and potential victims are believed to be from twelve countries, such as Malaysia, France, Italy, Netherlands and China. North Korea had admitted abductions of only thirteen Japanese. (NARKN, 2006). South Korea is likely to ignore the abduction issues to improve its relationship with North Korea.
Conclusion:
The ‘1997 suggestion’ is the only solution in the abduction issue for normalising relationship and decreasing development of weapons of mass destruction. North Korea has admitted the thirteen cases but they do not have to admit other cases, as long as families are able to meet each other. However, there is no necessity for Japan to normalise its relationship because North Korea is not an important trade partner.