Bilateral Japanese-North Korean negotiations aimed at creating the basis for the establishment of diplomatic relations remain suspended since 2008 and it can be excluded that Tokyo and Pyongyang will resume bilateral negotiations in any time soon. Pyongyang’s recent missile and nuclear tests, its sinking of a South Korean corvette (March 2010) and the bombardment of South Korean territory (November 2010) confirmed Tokyo’s policymakers that North Korea’s economic and political engagement will remain at the very bottom of its North Korea policy agenda. Unless there is a radical policy shift in Pyongyang, i.e. a resumption of the disablement and dismantlement of Pyongyang’s nuclear program and a decision to re-investigate the so-called ‘abduction issue’ (as promised by Pyongyang in 2008), bilateral Japanese- North Korean exchanges of any kind can be as good as excluded in 2011 and possibly beyond that. To be sure, Tokyo’s policymakers will continue to be held hostage by the country’s (increasingly numerous) North Korea hardliners, parts of the media not to consider any form of political or economic engagement until Pyongyang demonstrates willingness to re-investigate the ‘abduction issue’. Up to 35 Japanese citizens, Tokyo claims, were abducted to North Korea (from Japan and Europe)in the 1970s and 1980s and forced to work amongst others as Japanese language ‘instructors’ teaching Japanese language in North Korea to North Korean secret service agents. While Japan continues to request reliable (as opposed to bogus) information on what exactly happened to the Japanese abductees in North Korean captivity, Pyongyang continues to consider the issue to be settled after it officia

Japan’s North Korea Policy: Trends, Controversies and Impact on Japan’s overall Defence and Security Policy; Austria Institut für Europa und Sicherheitspolitik (ISSN: 2222-9841)

BERKOFSKY, AXEL
2011-01-01

Abstract

Bilateral Japanese-North Korean negotiations aimed at creating the basis for the establishment of diplomatic relations remain suspended since 2008 and it can be excluded that Tokyo and Pyongyang will resume bilateral negotiations in any time soon. Pyongyang’s recent missile and nuclear tests, its sinking of a South Korean corvette (March 2010) and the bombardment of South Korean territory (November 2010) confirmed Tokyo’s policymakers that North Korea’s economic and political engagement will remain at the very bottom of its North Korea policy agenda. Unless there is a radical policy shift in Pyongyang, i.e. a resumption of the disablement and dismantlement of Pyongyang’s nuclear program and a decision to re-investigate the so-called ‘abduction issue’ (as promised by Pyongyang in 2008), bilateral Japanese- North Korean exchanges of any kind can be as good as excluded in 2011 and possibly beyond that. To be sure, Tokyo’s policymakers will continue to be held hostage by the country’s (increasingly numerous) North Korea hardliners, parts of the media not to consider any form of political or economic engagement until Pyongyang demonstrates willingness to re-investigate the ‘abduction issue’. Up to 35 Japanese citizens, Tokyo claims, were abducted to North Korea (from Japan and Europe)in the 1970s and 1980s and forced to work amongst others as Japanese language ‘instructors’ teaching Japanese language in North Korea to North Korean secret service agents. While Japan continues to request reliable (as opposed to bogus) information on what exactly happened to the Japanese abductees in North Korean captivity, Pyongyang continues to consider the issue to be settled after it officia
2011
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11571/579225
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