Japan's diplomacy put to test on N Korea

Monday 13th October, 06:11 AM JST

By Janice Tang

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Latest 15 of 19 Total Comments Show All

Dogdog at 08:57 AM JST - 13th October

why?

Because Japan doesn't have a diplomatic foot to stand on.

Yes, from the point of view of the families, this is a tragic thing and yes, from, the point of view of normal diplomatic behavior, North Korea did act in an illegal manner.

HOWEVER Japan, who was responsible for the kidnapping of hundreds of thousands of women and turning them into sex slaves, and has never really accepted committing this crime. Koizumi's verbatim repeat of Murayama's 1995 apology at an ASEAN conference and Abe's initial comments that there were no sex slaves hardly makes the rest of Asia sympathetic to Japan's present position of ' an injustice has been committed against the collective 'us'.

Japan's staunchest ally in this diplomatic misadventure is at present practicing its own form of kidnapping foreign nationals.

Get it now?
borscht at 09:26 AM JST - 13th October

Usually when the Japanese government wants another country to do something, they pay for it. Billions to Russia in the 70s, billions to Iran in the 80s (for natural resources.) Now, do they have the money to pay for the return of the kidnapped citizens or not?
jerseyboy at 10:00 AM JST - 13th October

"Japan"s diplomacy"...an oxymoron if there ever was one. The first rule of diplomacy is that you must be able to step back, and see the big picture, especially as viewed from your opponents's eyes. Japan finds this simply impossible as they are the most self-focused people and country in existence.
bamboohat at 10:07 AM JST - 13th October

Now that NK is delisted, why on earth would NK give a rip what Japan thinks? Does Japan have any leverage of NK? Politically? Militarilly? Resources? I suppose they could bribe NK with money, food, aid. That is about their only option.

Would be interesting if NK said to Japan "Make an honest apology and amends for ALL your WWII atrocities, and we'll fix the abductee problem".

Very interesting. Might even give NK's image a boost in the eyes of China, SK, other asian nations.
Dogdog at 10:32 AM JST - 13th October

The first rule of diplomacy is that you must be able to step back, and see the big picture, especially as viewed from your opponents's eyes. Japan finds this simply impossible as they are the most self-focused people and country in existence.

This really says it all, whether dealing with island disputes with neighbours or recipricality agreements for citizens.

A total failure by those who are paid from my taxes to know better.
rjd_jr at 11:12 AM JST - 13th October

Interesting but very, very typical responses. Now if it were any other country, like the U.S., that had an issue with North Korea, then in that case the North Koreans are the aggressors, war mongers, and terrorist axis of evil. Since it's Japan in this case, disregard North Korea's atrocious human rights record towards its own citizens, suspicious usage of nuclear power, etc. etc. Double standards always and forever my friends.
Dogdog at 11:16 AM JST - 13th October

Double standards always and forever my friends.

Sure, America doesn't seem to be doing such a bad job at kidnapping foreign nationals from their homeland, it's called 'Rendition'.

Seems the standard is the same.
mtt at 11:25 AM JST - 13th October

Japan should cooperate with the US but go around separately from the US dealing with NK.
We should make it clear Japan's one vote of 6 is not to give a penny unless NK brings something constructive on the abduction of Japanese. If other 5 nations want to give into the NK's blackmail, we should let them. It will be great if they can bring a little change to NK.

Look at Cuba, US is not missing any part of it. We can also wait till NK gets some balance and sanity.

Let others take care of this, since other 5 can't help Japan with the abduction issue at all.

Meantime, Japan should seriously start developing its own more advanced defense system (purely defensive nature),since US may fail removing NK's nuke capability totally.
Pukey2 at 11:53 AM JST - 13th October

Japan yet today it still continues to be one of the world's most powerful and influential nations around.

If you're talking of spreading the word about manga, and dishing out international manga awards, then YES, I do agree with you.
briantokyo at 02:17 PM JST - 13th October

I think Japan needs to have its own offensive army again and be able to declare war on NK. Diplomacy will never work there, so military actions are called for.
tclh at 02:54 PM JST - 13th October

Yeah , if Japan can arm itself with 3,000 plus nuclear war heads and 6 air craft carriers...then suddenly anything Japan says will carry a lots of weight.Pity it is the world today :when Russia flexes its muscles recently, the world changes its tune toward Russia immediately.
reddragonguy at 03:01 PM JST - 13th October

America never sees Japan as equals....Japan was betrayed by her boss! It was Japan's illusions that the US would doing everything to appease her...so this is what Bush claimed Japan to be the England of Asia!

It was a humilation of Japanese diplomacy not just the abductees issue but also her security! How can Japan confronting China influences without the foundation of US supports?
reddragonguy at 03:04 PM JST - 13th October

if Japan can arm itself with 3,000 plus nuclear war heads and 6 air craft carriers...then suddenly anything Japan says will carry a lots of weight

An if is an if!
reddragonguy at 03:08 PM JST - 13th October

The whole world knew what the North Koreans has done......but the whole world including US has did nothing to help Japan over the abductee issue long unsolved....

Because the whole world know what imperial japan has done to the Koreans during her 35 years of occupations.
ReikiZen at 01:17 PM JST - 14th October

OK, for a change I am going to take a different position on this. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for Japan and the Japanese people. More so then most people in that regard. Although I will agree Japan does tend to think of things from a somewhat arrogant viewpoint. How is it that the US imports far more goods then Japans does of us. When asked by most Americans if Japan is an important ally most would say yes. Although if you ask the same question of the Japanese I think you would get a different answer. You all might remember Japan Today awhile back posting on the killing of an American at a night club in Tokyo I think it was. The statement from the Japanese man stated that he didn't mean to kill him and was an accident.

This news barely registered on the radar. Although the apparent rape of a 15 year old schoolgirl created an international incident. Not to mention that Americana's are not very welcome here as is the case with most foreigners. Yet most Japanese tourists in the US are treated with respect and dignity. I would call this a very double standard. The US has been a much better ally to Japan then Japan has been to the US. It always seems this alliance has always benefited the Japanese more then it has us. An alliance of connivance so to speak more then respect. So in a since I guess while I hope NK and Japan can work out their differences. I can't say I am to sympathetic with their current position. It is about time they hold up their end which has always been a lopsided partnership from the beginning.