Hope for abductees' families

Desperate for Approval (Abe, not those poor folks).

If the economy was smokin' and everybody was making money, he wouldn't pay this any attention.

gaiinfo,

Do you think he's really paying attention to this now?

He couldn't care less about the plight of these people. Sincerity is not part of Abe's makeup.

It suits his politics to appear to care, and gets publicity. That's all.

This time it's a little different. I can actually find some hope.

1) China has been cutting oil supply to N.Korea for 6 months now. 2) N.Korea has 2 years peace time oil stock. ( a few months war time) 3) This means Kim dynasty has 2 years before they die. 4) On the recent visit to S.Korea, China shows attitude to support North/South unification under South Korea initiative 5) China/S.Korea official statement mentioned about N.Korea nuke while not even mentioning Japan war history. 6) N.Korea can't help but taking these above as China's bye bye message.

7) N.Korea needs someone to talk to or Kim will die in 2 years. "Oh year! that issue with Japan!"

I think on this issue, China has been helping Japan so much, of course not intentionally though. China, please keep being angry with N.Korea until Japan gets result on this issue.

It's good that they are seemingly making a little progress on this issue, but they need to tread very carefully and not push it. It's taken NK this long to come forth about more abductees being alive (yet to be substantiated), and any sudden push by either government or the media and NK will back out pretty quickly, crushing the hopes of those people in the picture above. I have one other concern, and that's whether Abe will live up to his promise to ease sanctions if it is confirmed abductees are indeed still alive in NK. Do people honestly think the media here and the families of the abductees will be fine with easing sanctions if it's confirmed abducted Japanese are still being held in NK? Last time this happened Koizumi -- and he's not near the nationalist Abe is -- did a 180 in a split second.

gaijinfoJul. 05, 2014 - 07:24AM JST

Desperate for Approval (Abe, not those poor folks).

If the economy was smokin' and everybody was making money, he wouldn't pay this any attention.

BertieWoosterJul. 05, 2014 - 07:29AM JST

gaiinfo,

Do you think he's really paying attention to this now?

He couldn't care less about the plight of these people. Sincerity is not part of Abe's makeup.

It suits his politics to appear to care, and gets publicity. That's all.

No. This is a moral and an emotional issue for all Japanese citizens until everyone is found and saved from NK..

Here is a parable from JC I hope you have heard it before.

If you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn't leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?

These people really need closure on this issue one way or the other. At their age this could be the last chance for them. Although I am definitely not a fan of Abe, I wish the Japanese Govt. success in this endeavor as this issue has been allowed to drag on for far too long.

Throw good money after bad?

I hope these people can be reunited with their lost children after all. Abe is the first PM who takes action in this matter after all. Anyone before him just kept it under the carpet.

I hope these people can be reunited with their lost children after all. Abe is the first PM who takes action in this matter after all. Anyone before him just kept it under the carpet.

What are you talking about? Koizumi actually managed to bring some of them home, and many of the PMs after that have pushed North Korea to release more info on the hostages.

Similarly to when i always see insensitive post from people always telling SK