Unilateral Progress with the North

While the Western world stood against Russia over Crimea situation, Japan had secretly been seeking a breakthrough in relationship with North Korea. With deliberated efforts of the government of Japan, the parents of an abductee met with their grandchild in Ulan Bator, Mongol. Although there was no progress for solution of abduction issue, which is the top priority for Japan as well as missile and nuclear development, the event was expected to be a momentum for resuming official talks between the two nations.

Shigeru and Sakie Yokota visited Ulan Bator for five days last week to meet Kim Eun-gyong, who had been biologically authorized to be a daughter of the couple’s missing daughter Megumi Yokota. The parents released a statement that said “The meeting was amazing experience and a great pleasure for us. We sincerely hope it to work for rescuing all the abductees.”

The Japanese Government had reportedly been accumulating unofficial contacts with North Korea for the meeting. Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, asked the president of Mongol to cooperate with Japan for solving the abduction issue. Japan and North Korea agreed with having the meeting in Mongol not to affect the official standpoints of both.

For Abe, any progress in diplomacy is welcomed right now. Isolated in the world politics with his unilateral interpretation of post-war history, Abe was losing credibility even in the United States. Showing a positive activity for security in Northeast Asia might improve the relationships with the Western world. The meeting was also an appealing point for his nation that he was doing something in diplomacy.

Taking advantage of potential interdependence with Japan, the North grabbed the opportunity to demonstrate its willingness for negotiation. With deteriorating relation with China, Pyongyang looked to be maintaining basic connection with Japan. Since the Supreme Court approved the seizure of the representative office building in Tokyo in 2010, the North had been looking for the place to settle the headquarters for Japanese-Koreans. The North also expected some change in recent tight economic sanctions on them.

The fruit of the meeting is supposed to be the resumption of official level talk between Japan and North Korea. In the low-level meeting expected this week, the two nations are expected to agree on having higher-level meeting soon. However, Japan has always been unilateral in dealing with the North. Japan exercised sanction against the North just before the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution against the North’s missile and nuclear development. Japan’s attitude against the North has not always been consistent with international efforts. It will be a tragedy, even for abductee families, for Japan to be further isolated.