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The
Japan-North Korea summit meeting was held in Pyeongyang a few
days ago. The realization of the summit meeting is enough to
attract the public attention. Actually bilateral relations between
Tokyo and Pyeongyang in the meantime had been in a tight box
as the South and North were in the past. Such facts, of course,
were unfavorable to our government. But the rough relationship
has begun to look getting better due to the visit to the North
by Japan's Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi.
When two countries feel the necessity for an improvement of
their relationship, this summit meeting was accomplished. Restoring
the North's relations with Japan was an important issue in some
aspects from the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. One is to
succeed in the remedy of the management of domestic economy.
Unless the steps don't fail, because of a shortage of materials
and tremendous inflation like the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe,
it is necessary to cooperate with the developed countries including
Japan. Another is to improve relations with the U.S. It is interpreted
that President Bush's negative view for North Korea makes Chairman
Kim send out a love call to the U.S. The public estimate that
Pyeongyang declaration signed by Mr. Kim is none other than
a dialogue proposal toward the U.S. also lets us surmise the
North's friendly attitude.
Mr. Koizumi also visited Pyeongyang with his own tasks. The
current issue Japan insisted on solving first was the kidnapping
case of Japanese. He had to obtain good result at the problem
on suspicion of the kidnapping Japanese so that his visit to
the North will receive a successful evaluation. In addition,
he had a duty to convey to Kim Jong-il the U.S. worries on weapons
of mass destruction. Consequently, the summit meeting seems
to play a large role in scratching two countries' itchy spots.
The North Korea admitted the kidnapping case, which they have
denied consistently for a long time, and even officially made
an apology. And they expressed repeatedly that they were ready
to talk with the U.S. Also Japan professed deep apology for
its past colonial rule on the peninsula, which the North had
required as a precondition of normalization of the diplomatic
relations.
But they have only taken a step towards the Northeast Asia's
peace. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has to put a boiling
Japanese people to sleep to form a friendly relationship with
the North. Now they are indignant at several people's death
abducted by North Korean spies. Kim Dae-jung's government must
also pay attention to the issue. Because it is said that the
government has taken a lukewarm attitude to the issue of the
Koreans kidnapped to the North Korea. Also immediate reopening
of the North-U.S. dialogue is not yet to be known. It is reported
that the Bush administration will observe the North reducing
weapons of mass destruction and accepting a special International
Atomic Energy Agency inspection of its nuclear facilities.
Anyway the summit meeting is important enough to change the
security surroundings of the Northeast Asia. Our government
welcomed the accomplishment of the meeting under the judgment
that it would contribute to peace and stability on the Korean
Peninsula. They think that the improvement of the relations
between the two countries will have an affirmative effect on
exchange and cooperation works between the North and South by
helping resuscitation of the North's economy. For all that,
Kim's government should not only look on with folded arms. It
is obvious that Japan's voice for the Korean Peninsula will
be also loud as the relations improve. That is, the government
ought to lead Mr. Koizumi and his cabinet to discuss prior consultation
with our government on all contacts with the North. The North
Korean authorities should also keep in mind not to get genuine
reliance of international society until they are cautious lest
heroism of an intelligence agency haunt again.
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