Abduction Tops Everything

Mostly putting aside all other crimes against humanity, which include murders, torture, slavery, sexual violence and mass starvation, Japan scolds North Korean despotic dynasty on its abduction of the Japanese. While the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights reported the oppressive situation in North Korea as a matter of zero tolerance, most media in Japan recognized it as a positive sign of new development in diplomatically deadlocked abduction issue. Japan is always unique, indeed.

The independent investigation commission led by Michael Kirby revealed extremely harsh facts in North Korea based on broad interviews to the people under the tyranny of Kim Dynasty. Representing hardships of the people, Kirby demanded the world to make immediate actions to halt those inhumanities that did not have “any parallel in the contemporary world.” Kirby recommended the world leaders to refer the situation to the International Criminal Court or a special tribunal.

Newspapers in Japan mainly focused on a part of the report, which required accountability of North’s leadership on abduction of foreign citizens. They cited a comment of Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, that “We welcome the report that recommends North Korea to return abductees and their children to home country,” or stories of diplomatic effort of Japan to persuade other nations to acknowledge the issue.

Abduction by North Korea is a favorite issue of Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. When he was a Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary under Prime Minister, Jun-ichiro Koizumi, he took on the issue raising campaign against North Korea with the families of abductees. Receiving positive reaction from the public on his uncompromising position against the North, he got a good chance to be promoted in politics, ultimately led to prime minister. Abe still insists on the issue, asserting that he is determined to get final solution in his administration.

However, there is no sign of achieving that. There has been no effective improvement in direct negotiation with the North recent years. It is a big contradiction that Abe has intentionally been complicating the relationship with China and South Korea, which must have been crucial partners to urge the North to settle the problem.

The most embarrassing is Japan itself also is one of those recipients of accusation on human trafficking. U.S. Department of State has frequently reported that Japan had been a destination and transit country for men, women and children trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Without addressing the fact inside itself, Japan will keep on accepting the frustration of world community that “Well, it’s okay. Japan is always complaining only about abduction issue.”