ニュース 2014/07/07 DPJ Abduction Issue Strategy HQs convened following Japan-NK talks On July 7, a general meeting of the DPJ Abduction Issue Strategy Headquarters was convened following the talks between Japan and North Korea held on July 1 in Beijing. Chair Akihisa Nagashima, in his opening address, commented on the news that North Korea had established a special investigative committee, saying: “While on the one hand one gets the impression that the Kim Jong Un regime has been making serious efforts, on the other many people, including in particular the abductees’ families, while hopeful, also feel a great deal of concern.” He continued by expressing the DPJ’s intention of engaging in the abduction issue in a bipartisan matter, stating, “We want the government to engage in negotiations in the spirit that this is the last chance, and with the resolution that if North Korea go back on their word, they should be prepared to re-impose the sanctions that they are now preparing to ease. The DPJ, as an opposition party with experience of government, will face this issue with the stance that we will work to bring about progress in those areas which need to move forward, and to provide support in those areas which ought to be supported.” Diet members at the meeting received a briefing from Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials regarding the bilateral talks that took place on July 1. According to MOFA, there was no exchange of documents during the talks, which lasted for around two hours. The documents distributed to DPJ Diet members at the briefing consisted of notes made by MOFA officials based on a verbal explanation of the special investigative committee that had been made by the North Korean side, the content of which had then been confirmed by North Korea. DPJ Diet members voiced repeated harsh criticism of this, commenting, “In order for discussions to be concluded in two hours, it would usually be necessary for preliminary negotiations to be undertaken. Did you really not engage in such negotiations?”, and “There was no written exchange, so can we really trust [North Korea]?” However, MOFA officials just responded, “We did not undertake preliminary discussions, nor did we received any document from the North Korean side” and did not make any attempt to address these concerns in their response. Following this, Cabinet Secretariat officials gave a briefing on the “Act on Aid to Persons Abducted by the North Korean Authorities”, and legal revisions to the act currently being considered by the ruling parties were discussed. It was agreed that the Headquarters would further consider what assistance needed to be provided, with reference to the existing legislation, liaising where appropriate with related organizations. It was decided that decisions regarding how this would actually take place would be left in the hands of Headquarters Chair Nagashima. Secretary-General of the Headquarters Eiichiro Washio spoke to reporters following the meeting, and expressed his reservations regarding the way in which the negotiations had been conducted, stating: “According to the government’s explanation there were no proper documents, and I got the impression that it was rather ‘casual’.”