Kyoto, Japan - Japan is stuck between a rock and a hard
place as North Korea's denuclearization progress forces the country
to tread a softer line resolving Pyongyang's abductions of Japanese
nationals.
Thursday's comprehensive declaration of nuclear programmes and
stockpiles by North Korea drives a wedge between Japan and its most
important ally, the United States, frustrating Tokyo's efforts to
keep the pressure on the abduction issue.
Some officials even hint at a US-Japanese rift, as Washington
announced, despite wordy assurance of supporting Japan's position, to
drop trade sanctions against North Korea and start the process of
removing the country from a terrorism blacklist within the next 45
days.
Washington is de-prioritizing the abduction issue for the sake of
keeping nuclear weapons out of the hands of the world's most
dangerous rogue states, seemingly even ready to ignore shortcomings
in the declaration, critics in Japan said.
Eager to achieve a main foreign policy victory before the term of
President George W Bush ends, the US was rushing into a deal,
ignoring the dangers of such an approach, Japanese newspapers said.
To all accounts, Japan should welcome Pyongyang coming clear on
its nuclear programme, a critical cornerstone in international
efforts to discourage the communist state's nuclear weapons
ambitions.
When North Korea in 1998 fired a missile over Japan, the event
sent shockwaves though the country, driving home the danger of a
nuclear-armed North Korea.
In October 2007, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il announced the
successful test of a nuclear device.
Nonetheless, the abduction issue weighs heavy on the Japanese
mind.
Japan says 17 citizens were abducted in the 1970s and 80s and
forced to help train North Korean spies in the Japanese language and
culture. North Korea admitted in 2002 to abducting 13 Japanese,
confirming long-standing suspicions.
Five of the abductees returned to Japan in October 2002, but the
whereabouts of the rest are not known. North Korea said in 2002 that
eight had died while two never entered the country. Two others have
been added to the list of victims since then.
The abduction issue has to be resolved before normalizing ties
with North Korea was possible, Japan insists, drawing only
thinly-veiled criticism from its partners in the six-party talks -
China, the US, South Korea and Russia - of endangering negotiations
by its failure to compromise.
Japanese officials are refraining from openly criticising
Washington, saying North Korea's eventual de-nuclearization remains
the main goal, fully aware that the US is the only ally Japan can
turn to in the abduction issue.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda stressed publicly that North Korea's
de-listing would have no negative effects on the abduction question.
After years of refusing to discuss the issue, Pyongyang agreed on
June 13 to 'reinvestigate' the abductions, in exchange for Japan
easing trade sanctions.
Nonetheless, Japan remains adamant, despite six-party pressure,
not to provide energy assistance to North Korea, well aware that now,
with the terrorism-card gone, economic incentives are the only
bargaining chip it has left.
USA
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