By Selcuk Acar and Canberk Yuksel
NEW YORK
Japan seeks the international community’s attention to help pressure North Korea to address the abduction of Japanese citizens by the isolated nation nearly four decades ago, a government minister responsible for the issue told Anadolu Agency.
“The interest in the global community has increased; there is a deeper understanding as a result of our efforts,” Katunobu Kato said.
The minister added that Japan “seeks to leverage” pressure created through United Nations-sponsored processes to convince North Korea, whose people already suffers the consequences of the actions of an oppressive regime and the international sanctions enforced to curb its behavior.
A dozen Japanese citizens, abducted by North Korea to be employed in its spy service in the late 1970s and early 1980s, still remain unaccounted for.
Most were in their twenties when they were kidnapped.
In 2002, Japan’s then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi took an unprecedented step and went to Pyongyang to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il. The bilateral talks resulted in the return of five abductees after Kim admitted to the kidnapping and issued an apology.
Japan’s government identifies 17 individuals who were kidnapped, and questions the North Korean account that eight died and the four never entered the country.
Kato said Japanese police are currently investigating 883 cases, “for which the possibility of abduction cannot be ruled out”.
“Processes are underway to seek accountability in human rights issues vis-a-vis the North Korean leadership,” Kato said.
The minister praised the UN’s efforts to help Japan’s cause. A panel discussion on the issue was held two weeks ago, under the auspices of the global body.
The Security Council last month used strong language and enforced a fresh round of sanctions against North Korea in response to its dogged determination to conduct nuclear tests and ballistic missile launches in contravention to international treaties.
Kato, who last October assumed the role of Minister for the Abduction Issue, hailed UN special rapporteur on North Korea human rights issues, Tomas Ojea Quintana, who was inaugurated in August.
Quintana’s predecessor, Marzuki Darusman, contributed to the publication of a 2014 report that detailed the “unspeakable atrocities” committed in North Korea, driven by “policies established at the highest level of State”, including murder, torture, grave breaches of freedoms of expression, movement and religion, as well as abductions and enforced disappearances of people from other nations.
The report said as many as 100 Japanese citizens might have been abducted.
In late 2014, representatives of the Japanese and North Korean governments, which have no formal diplomatic ties, discussed the issue in Pyongyang for the first time in a decade.
North Korea had agreed earlier that year to Japan’s pre-condition that it launch an investigation into the kidnappings, in exchange for the easing of several unilateral economic sanctions. No tangible progress however, has been since achieved.
While praising efforts by the UN, Kato added that a difference of opinion existed among member states that prevents an unequivocal voice and created obstacles for the global body to deploy its full capabilities to address the issue of abductions.
However, the minister expressed confidence that Ojea “would surely promote further debate within the UN process seeking accountability with the North Korean leadership”, which in turn he hopes would turn into pressure.
“The government of Japan intends to leverage such pressure in order to identify openings to conduct dialogues through which we can realize the return of all Japanese at the earliest possible day,” he added.
Regarding the U.S.’s contributions, Kato cited Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s meeting with President-elect Donald Trump last month, which was the newly-elected American leader’s first head-to-head meeting with a foreign leader.
“Prime Minister Abe said that he feels that Mr. Trump is a trustworthy partner,” Kato said.
Praising the “deep understanding” Japan enjoyed during Barack Obama’s tenure as president, Kato said: “Japan will be approaching the new administration so that such cooperation can continue.
“Abe often says that there is no future for North Korea unless they resolve the abduction issue so we truly hope the intent of his words will be well understood,” the minister added.
