Meeting of the LDP Countermeasures HQ for the North Korea Abduction Issue

November 16, 2004

On the 16th November the "LDP Countermeasures HQ for the North Korea Abduction Issue" (Headquarters-Chief - Acting Secretary-General of the LDP, Shinzou Abe) held a meeting at the LDP Headquarters. The meeting received a report from Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives on the results of the talks about the abduction issue that were held from the 9th to 14th of November in Pyongyang, North Korea.
In his opening greeting Acting Secretary-General Abe said, "The third set of talks have taken place, we have now been given an opportunity to judge whether North Korea is sincere or not with regards to the talks. We have been provided with a large amount of material evidence from North Korea; while we are investigating in detail whether the material is all fabricated or not, if it is the case that it is fabricated, the decision must be made to impose economic sanctions on North Korea. If the talks are taking place without sincerity, then there is no need to go on to hold 4 or 5 sets of talks."
In addition, Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Asian and Oceanic Affairs Bureau, Mitoji Yabunaka was also present and explained, "North Korea has shown us various items of material evidence and careful examination of that is now taking place. Also, unlike the previous meetings, people with responsibility for the actual investigations were also present. We were able to hear from people involved with the investigation and connected with it."
The majority of Diet members present were of the opinion that economic sanctions should be imposed on North Korea, saying, "There is no reason to continue negotiations any longer. The time has come that points to the need for concrete moves towards sanctions."