Abstract
On August 4, the North Korean regime two
detained American journalists after former US
President Bill Clinton’s visit to Pyongang. Clinton’s
surprise visit to North Korea was, at best, bittersweet
for Japan. The US has consistently exhorted Japan to
use the six-part framework to resolve its abduction
issue, so Clinton’s ‘humanitarian’ visit to North
Korea appeared hypocritical to Japan. Japan’s Chief
Cabinet Secretar, Kawamura Takeo, welcomed the
release of the two US journalists and thanked
Clinton for pressing North Korea on the Japanese
abduction issue. However, the Japanese press was
not nearly so magnanimous and was quick to link
the Clinton visit to Japan’s ineffectual handling of
the North Korean abduction issue. The Japan Times
ran with the headline ‘Clinton’s success highlights
Japan’s abductees failure’, while Japan Today
questioned why Japan did not have its own Clinton
to deal with North Korea.
detained American journalists after former US
President Bill Clinton’s visit to Pyongang. Clinton’s
surprise visit to North Korea was, at best, bittersweet
for Japan. The US has consistently exhorted Japan to
use the six-part framework to resolve its abduction
issue, so Clinton’s ‘humanitarian’ visit to North
Korea appeared hypocritical to Japan. Japan’s Chief
Cabinet Secretar, Kawamura Takeo, welcomed the
release of the two US journalists and thanked
Clinton for pressing North Korea on the Japanese
abduction issue. However, the Japanese press was
not nearly so magnanimous and was quick to link
the Clinton visit to Japan’s ineffectual handling of
the North Korean abduction issue. The Japan Times
ran with the headline ‘Clinton’s success highlights
Japan’s abductees failure’, while Japan Today
questioned why Japan did not have its own Clinton
to deal with North Korea.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | East Asia Forum |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Publication status | Published - 25 Sept 2009 |