Japan Asks N Korea for Info on How and When 8 Abductees Died
TOKYO — Japan will urge North Korea to reveal more about a series of abductions of Japanese nationals before the two countries resume talks on normalizing diplomatic ties, Japan's top government spokesman said Wednesday.
"Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi demanded North Korean leader Kim Jong Il continue to investigate the abduction cases" in summit talks Tuesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told reporters.
"And General Secretary Kim responded, 'I've got it.' We will demand that North Korea provide more information" about the cases before we restart normalization talks, Fukuda said.
In the summit in Pyongyang, Kim told Koizumi four of the 11 Japanese nationals Pyongyang abducted in the 1970s and 1980s are alive but six others have died. The whereabouts of the remaining abductee are unknown.
TOKYO — Japan will urge North Korea to reveal more about a series of abductions of Japanese nationals before the two countries resume talks on normalizing diplomatic ties, Japan's top government spokesman said Wednesday.
"Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi demanded North Korean leader Kim Jong Il continue to investigate the abduction cases" in summit talks Tuesday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told reporters.
"And General Secretary Kim responded, 'I've got it.' We will demand that North Korea provide more information" about the cases before we restart normalization talks, Fukuda said.
In the summit in Pyongyang, Kim told Koizumi four of the 11 Japanese nationals Pyongyang abducted in the 1970s and 1980s are alive but six others have died. The whereabouts of the remaining abductee are unknown.