Speech by Minister Kato in Charge of the Abduction Issue
At the Co-host symposium by CSIS
Monday, May, 2 2016
Washington D.C.
Ambassador Lee, Ambassador King, Dr. Green, Dr. Cha,distinguished guests, and ladies and gentlemen,
My name is Katsunobu Kato, and I am the Minister in Charge ofthe Abduction Issue.
It is a great pleasure for me to co-host this event with CSIS, one of
the most renowned think-tanks in the United States. Let me extend
my heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Green, who kindly accepted myoffer.
As the Cabinet Minister in Charge of the Abduction Issue, which isa top policy priority of the Abe Administration, it is also my honor
to have an opportunity to explain how I view the current situation
surrounding human rights issues in North Korea, including theabduction issue, and how the Government of Japan addresses thosesignificant and commonly shared issues of international concern.
Today, I am particularly eager to engage in fruitful discussions with
my distinguished colleagues of the close friends, the United States
and the Republic of Korea, as well as members of the distinguishedaudience, regarding those common concerns.
In Japan, we are now enjoying so called ‘Golden Week’, a weeklong-holiday. Thus, this is indeed, literally a golden opportunity forme to have an in-depth discussion with the esteemed participants,including our excellent – but named for a different color –moderator, Dr. Green.

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In February two years ago, the Report of the commission of inquiry(COI) on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea was released. Regarding human rights violations in North
Korea, it is stated in that report, “The gravity, scale, and nature ofthese violations reveal a State that does not have any parallel in thecontemporary world.” The abductions of Japanese conducted by
North Korea are one form of such human rights violationscommitted by North Korea. In the COI report, the issue of theabductions of Japanese is described in parallel with other similarcases of abductions and enforced disappearance from the Republicof Korea and other countries, and is categorized into the item of“Abductions and enforced disappearances from other countries”.
The Report also concludes that, in many instances, the violationsof human rights found by the commission constitute “crimesagainst humanity”.
Basic Position of the Japanese Government Concerning theAbduction Issue
The Japanese Government has identified 17 abductees including 5abductees who have returned home, and there are numerous cases(886, to be precise) under investigations and inquiries by the police
authorities in which the possibility of abduction by North Korea
cannot be ruled out.
The abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea is a matter ofgrave concern that undermines the national sovereignty of Japanand the lives and safety of the Japanese people. At the same time,the issue is a grave matter in terms of human rights andhumanitarian concerns as abductees’ precious future, countless
dreams, and irreplaceable time with their families have been takenaway.
Abductees and their families have been grown old in the 40 years
since they were captured by North Korea. Some of the family
members were unable to see the abductees again and passed away2

in sorrow. There is no time to waste in rescuing the abductees. With
this understanding of the issue, as the Abe cabinet considers thatthe Government should take responsibility for resolving it, one thatit has given the highest priority, it has been taking steps to resolve
it under the principles of “dialogue and pressure” and “action foraction” irrespective of whether they are officially identified asabductees.
Development Concerning the Abduction Issue between Japan andNorth Korea
The abductions of Japanese by North Korea were conducted in the1970s and 1980s; however, North Korea formally admitted to theabductions for the first time during the visit of the then Prime
Minister Junichiro Koizumi to North Korea in September 2002 at
the first Japan-DPRK Summit Meeting. Kim Jong-il, thenChairman of the National Defense Commission of North Korea
informed Japan that only 4 abductees were surviving, 8 had died,and there was no record of entry into North Korea for one.
At that time, the two leaders signed the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang
Declaration, which describes the manner of the relationshipbetween Japan and North Korea. The Declaration states, “Bothleaders confirmed the shared recognition that establishing a fruitfulpolitical, economic, and cultural relationship between Japan andthe DPRK through the settlement of the unfortunate past between
them and the outstanding issues of concern would be consistent
with fundamental interests of both sides, and would greatly
contribute to the peace and stability of the region.” It also states,“Both sides confirmed that they would co-operate with each otherin order to maintain and strengthen the peace and stability ofNortheast Asia,” “Both sides confirmed that, for an overall
resolution of the nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula, theywould comply with all related international agreements,” and“Both sides also confirmed the necessity of resolving security
problems including nuclear and missile issues by promoting
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dialogue among countries concerned.”
According to the Pyongyang Declaration, which includes the basicideas for achieving the peace and stability of Northeast Asia, while
North Korea will sincerely work on various outstanding issues suchas the abduction, nuclear and missile issues, during thenormalization process, Japan will provide economic co-operation
with North Korea after the normalization of diplomatic relations.
There is, however, a huge gap between the ideals described in thePyongyang Declaration and the actuality of the prevailingcircumstances, in which North Korea makes no attempt to take anhonest approach to the comprehensive resolution of various
outstanding problems.
Indeed, based on the Pyongyang Declaration, Prime Minister Abe
has repeatedly emphasized that without the resolution of theabduction issue, there can be no normalization of diplomatic
relations between Japan and North Korea, and provocative actions
will result in paying a heavy price. Without resolving various
outstanding issues such as the abduction, nuclear, and missile
issues, North Korea cannot look ahead to a bright future.
Meanwhile, regrettably, North Korea has continued to take actions
which contradict the Pyongyang Declaration instead of sincerely
responding to various outstanding issues of concern, even after
signing the Declaration.
To be more specific, in the Japan-DPRK Summit Meeting, NorthKorea admitted to the abduction of Japanese people and apologizedaccording to the decision of Kim Jong-il, then Chairman of theNational Defense Commission of North Korea. As a result, fivesurvivors and their families returned home. Regarding victims whowere said to have died, however, North Korea submitted remains
as proof of their deaths, which were identified as the remains ofother persons. Therefore, North Korea’s response towards Japan
has been thoroughly lacking in good faith.
4Meanwhile, the Japanese side has long continued to strongly
demand that North Korea secure the safety and immediate returnof all abductees, investigate to reveal the truth of the abductions,and extradite those responsible for carrying out abductions toJapanese authorities. As a result, in May 2014, at the Japan-North
Korea Intergovernmental Consultations in Stockholm, the bothsides finally reached an agreement. According to that agreement,
North Korea is to establish the Special Investigation Committee toconduct comprehensive and full-scale investigation on all Japanesenationals including abductees. Japan decided to lift part of its
measures against North Korea. That agreement precisely reflects
our principles of “dialogue and pressure” and “action for action.”
Based on those principles, in the agreement, Japan stated that Japan
will consider, at an appropriate time, to provide humanitarianassistance to North Korea from the humanitarian viewpoint, so asto urge North Korea to take sincere and specific actions towards
the resolution of the abduction issue. It is regrettable, however, that
we have not seen any progress towards the return of the abductees
since North Korea started its comprehensive investigation nearly
two years ago. In addition, North Korea conducted a nuclear test
last January and ballistic missile launching after that. Therefore, wedecided to take unilateral measures against North Korea towards acomprehensive resolution of various outstanding issues, namely,
the abduction, nuclear, and missile issues.
Responding to our decision, North Korea unilaterally insisted that
this is little short of the declaration of its own scrapping of theStockholm agreement and declared that the comprehensive
investigation into all the Japanese will be stopped and that the“Special Investigation Committee” will be dissolved. We protested
against North Korea’s claim as we were unable to accept it at all.
North Korea must conduct comprehensive and full-scale
investigations based on the commitment made by North Korea
itself in Stockholm and must allow all abductees to return home assoon as possible based on the result of the investigations.
5Efforts by the International Community on the Human Rights
Situation in North Korea
The Government of Japan is a concerned party of human rights
violations in North Korea. As a concerned party, we have lately
been encouraged by the increasing momentum gained by theinternational community towards the improvement of North
Korea’s human rights situation more than ever before. As everyone
here is familiar with the actions taken so far, I will not go into
details. Those actions include:
1. The release of the Report of the commission of inquiry (COI)on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
2. Official discussion at the UN Security Council for two
consecutive years subsequent to the adoption of the resolution
concerning North Korea’s human rights situation at the UN
General Assembly.
3. The Report of pursuing accountability of North Korea for“crimes against humanity” proposed by the UN Special
Rapporteur, Marzuki Darusman, and the resolution reflectingthat report at the UN Human Rights Council held last March,calling upon to establish a group of independent experts onaccountability.
In addition, at the Japan-U.S.-ROK Trilateral Summit Meeting
which took place at the occasion of the Nuclear Security Summit
held in Washington, D.C. this spring, the three leaders confirmed
the need to move forward with cooperation in the security fieldamong Japan, the United States and the Republic of Korea in orderto deal with the threat from North Korea and Japan obtained
understanding and support for Japan’s efforts in the abduction issue.
At the Japan-ROK Summit Meeting, Prime Minister Abe
explained that Japan intends to continue cooperation aimed atreaching a solution to North Korea’s human rights andhumanitarian problems, including the abductions issue. In response,President Park made an encouraging comment, noting that similar
problems exist in the Republic of Korea and would like to6

cooperate on this issue.
In the United States, the North Korea Sanctions and Policy
Enhancement Act of 2016 was enacted this February. In this act,
one of the requirements for suspending the sanctions is that theGovernment of North Korea has made progress toward accounting
for and repatriating the citizens of other countries abducted by theGovernment of North Korea. Also, one of the requirements fortermination of the sanctions is that the Government of North Korea
has made significant progress toward fully accounting for andrepatriating United States citizens abducted by the Government ofNorth Korea. We welcome these developments. And a concurrent
resolution expressing concern over the disappearance of David
Sneddon, and for other purposes has been submitted to both housesof congress. We are keeping a close watch on the discussions inCongress.
Basic Stance of the Japanese Government towards the Future
While closely cooperating with members of the international
community, which is aiming to improve North Korea’s humanrights situation, we will continue to address the issues based on theprinciples of “dialogue and pressure” and “action for action.” North
Korea has repeated a series of provocative actions since nuclear
testing in January and has not listened to the voice of theinternational community genuinely. It is necessary to exert pressure
on North Korea to feel “hurt” and have North Korea clearlyrecognize that provocative actions will result in paying a heavyprice.
Prime Minister Abe claims that there is no point in conducting talks
if they do not aim at resolving the abduction issue; otherwise, theabduction issue cannot be resolved. He also insists that it will beimpossible for North Korea to envision their future without theresolution of the abduction issue. What does his comment imply?
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The abduction issue as a serious issue of concern between Japan
and North Korea is as important as nuclear and missile issues. As I
explained about the Pyongyang Declaration earlier, without theresolution of the abduction issue, which is as important as nuclear
and missile issues for Japan, there can be no normalization of therelations. The Japanese Government also will not provide
humanitarian assistance or lift sanctions without North Korea’s
concrete actions towards the resolution of various outstanding
issues, including the abduction issue. In other words, North Korea
needs to realize that unless they resolve various outstanding issues,
namely, the abduction, nuclear, and missile issues, it will be
impossible for North Korea to envision their future.
On the other hand, if North Korea sincerely works on various
outstanding issues and resolves them, in accordance with thePyongyang Declaration, Japan can build up a constructive
relationship for the future with North Korea, including thesettlement of the unfortunate past between them, and the positive
involvement of the international community with North Korea willdeepen. Based on that assumption, Japan strives to closelycooperate with the U.S., the Republic of Korea, and the United
Nations so that North Korea works on resolving theaforementioned issues.
In North Korea, due to its sociopolitical system, Kim Jong-un, First
Chairman of North Korea’s National Defense Commission, has theauthority to make final policy decisions. Thus, the Japanese
Government (the Abe administration) would like to urge Kim Jongun to gain an accurate understanding of the situation which North
Korea faces in the international community and to decide to return
all abductees as quickly as possible through his efforts of sincerely
working on various outstanding issues of concern, namely, theabduction, nuclear, and missile issues, and such actions would be
the rational choice for North Korea.
The Japanese Government will continue to closely cooperate with8

the international community according to the aforementioned
approach. At the same time, unless North Korea takes positive
measures towards the resolution of its various outstanding issues,
the Japanese Government will continue to impose strict sanctions
on North Korea as well as seek a meaningful “dialogue” which canlead to a comprehensive resolution of those issues.

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