Japan’s prime minister turned up the pressure on North Korea yesterday to answer questions over the fate of possibly hundreds of Japanese citizens believed to have been abducted by the North’s agents in the 1970s and ‘80s.
Shinzo Abe told a rally in Tokyo that he will not back down until every abductee is accounted for. Suggesting he believes some are still alive, he said he will not relent until they are allowed to come back to Japan.
Abe’s remarks came as North Korea is preparing to announce the results of a new investigation into the matter following an agreement in May.
Japan officially recognizes 17 cases, but an independent investigative commission and police suggest the number could be as high as 869.
“Resolving the abductions issue is the top priority of my administration,” the prime minister told the crowd. “My mission will not be over until the day all of the abduction victims have been returned to their families.”
North Korea is expected to announce the preliminary results of its new investigation soon, possibly by the end of this month, and some city and town officials in Japan have already begun making preparations to welcome survivors home. But it is by no means clear that the North will come up with the results Tokyo wants, which could lead to even deeper acrimony.
