Bush assures Aso he'll urge Obama to work on abduction issue

Sunday 23rd November, 04:04 AM JST

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bandogeek at 03:08 AM JST - 24th November

I personally think it's a good thing that President Bush is taking his role as a leader seriously, and working with a strong ally like Japan to strengthen US-Japan relations. I know Bush has only two months left in office, and I'm confident that Barack Obama will be more than happy to help out, if not how will it look on his behalf if he refuses to work with allies of the United States in this manner?
pathat at 04:43 AM JST - 24th November

If George W. Bush didn't particularly care about helping Japan with the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korea in nearly 8 years in the White House, why ask him to do anything with 8 weeks left in office?

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama will have a million more important things to deal with during his first term.

I think most Japanese people are sick and tired of hearing about this issue anyway.
teaabe at 04:46 AM JST - 24th November

the u.s. never really cared about this issue or asia for that matter. to them it's just chop sticks and jokes.
kaoken at 06:58 AM JST - 24th November

If George W. Bush didn't particularly care about helping Japan with the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korea in nearly 8 years in the White House, why ask him to do anything with 8 weeks left in office?

It's been brought up because:

The issue has prevented the two countries from normalizing diplomatic relations and hampers Tokyo’s participation in energy aid to Pyongyang under the six-party talks on North Korea’s denuclearization.
bluebandit at 09:15 AM JST - 24th November

Forgive and forget. Is this issue really worth more than North Korea building up their collection of nukes?
smithinjapan at 10:40 AM JST - 24th November

bandogeek: "and I'm confident that Barack Obama will be more than happy to help out, if not how will it look on his behalf if he refuses to work with allies of the United States in this manner?"

It'll look like it should; that it's a bi-lateral issue between NK and Japan and has NOTHING to do with the US. It'll also make Obama look wiser than bush for telling it to Japan like it is, instead of pretending to care in exchange for things the US is going to get from Japan anyway. Finally, it'll look like Obama has more important things to deal with, which he does.

I have no doubt Obama will say, "We will help in due time", but that due time will never come, despite Aso thinking this is the most important issue in the world.
superesonator at 10:46 AM JST - 24th November

Smith well said, Bandogeek WTF?

But Kaoken! If this issue wasn't used by Japan to break their commitments to fuel aid, another excuse would have been (rocket tests spring to mind).

The North Koreans disclosed this abduction issue voluntarily, naively thinking disclosure and good will would help relations with Japan. Obviously that was a miscalculation.

What the rabble-rousers in the Japanese press and government are doing now is using this issue to excuse their own bad-faith. It would be as if the entire world decided to default on payments to Japan in protest of Japan's failure to disclose details about over 500,000 Asians and Europeans kidnapped before and during WWII for sex-slavery, slavery in Asian jungles and Japanese mines, medical experimentation, bayonet practice...
Simon_Foston at 11:29 AM JST - 24th November

They mean, Bush will try to persuade Obama to help Aso keep this issue alive, because taking a tough stance on North Korea is one of the few things that might be a poll booster for the LDP. For that reason, I sometimes wonder if the LDP do actually want to see the issue settled.
pathat at 12:13 PM JST - 24th November

kaoken: I was being sarcastic, so sorry it went over your head. We've been discussing this issue for a number of years on JT. Thanks for the standard "Foreign Affairs" explanation, though.

smitty:

"It'll look like it should; that it's a bi-lateral issue between NK and Japan and has NOTHING to do with the US."

Spot on.
chonglai at 12:40 PM JST - 24th November

Bush Senior = You need Panadol. Bush Junior = You need Panadol Extra. Obama = You need Coke. Aso = I need Aspirin.
European1 at 03:40 PM JST - 24th November

I encourage all US Citizens and residents (I`m none of them) to use below website and tell Obama-elect to ask for abducted kids by J nationals and tell Aso to sign Hague Convention first, then we can think about North Korea issue

http://change.gov/
cuddles20008 at 08:24 PM JST - 24th November

hahahah

Another political football

Duuu
soldave at 09:54 AM JST - 25th November

Bush: "The next president will help you deal with it. Nucular!". Obama: "The next president will help you deal with it. Yes they can!" Clinton/Palin: "The next president will help you deal with it..."

And so it will continue
mushroomcloud at 10:35 AM JST - 25th November

Average US Citizen: Thanks Bush for ruining my country, and wrecking the world economy you *sshole!
Orchid64 at 07:20 PM JST - 26th November

I love how everyone wants America to stay out of the world's (and their own business), but as soon as they need help, they go crying to the U.S. to intervene. Japan should solve some of its own problems, then other countries might take it seriously and it'd be strong enough that it wouldn't need American bases to keep the Asian countries it bullied in WW II from coming back and kicking its ass.