Japan-North Korea contact report, following a Korean newspaper in July, this time it is reported by Japanese media

The Asahi Shimbun reported on the 29th of last month that Japanese government officials had contacted officials from North Korea's Workers' Party of Korea twice this spring in an effort to resolve the abduction issue by North Korea. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on the same day that
At a press conference, he said, ``Due to the nature of the matter, I will refrain from commenting on the report.'' On the other hand, the Sankei Shimbun reported that when a Korean newspaper reported on contact between Japan and North Korea in July this year, Mr. Matsuno said, ``Such facts
"There is no such thing," he said, pointing out that there had been a change in his answers. Regarding the abduction issue by North Korea, five victims have so far returned to the country, but the victims whose safety is unknown have returned to Japan.
As many as 12 people have been recognized by the government. The families of the victims are calling for all Japanese abducted by North Korea to return to the country and for the issue to be resolved as soon as possible, but North Korea says the abduction issue is "resolved."
He claimed, ``Mi.'' The Japanese government has not been able to find a way out. In May of this year, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida spoke at a rally calling for the return of abductees to the country, saying, ``We are holding high-level discussions under my direct control'' in order to realize a Japan-North Korea summit.
I want to go,'' he said. This was the first time that the phrase "directly under the control" was used, and at the time, it was interpreted as a sign that the Prime Minister was willing to take the lead in working through all negotiation lines to resolve the issue.
. Two days after Prime Minister Kishida expressed his desire to hold a Japan-North Korea summit, North Korea stated, ``If Japan does not get bogged down in the past and seeks ways to improve relations, there is no reason why the two countries cannot meet.''
, released a statement by Park Sang Gil, vice minister of North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also expressed a positive attitude toward dialogue, saying, ``Japan should demonstrate its intention to solve problems through action.'' On the other hand, Vice Minister Park said, ``The abduction has been resolved.''
``I am trying to raise the issue of criminal conduct.'' ``If we follow the previous administration's approach and try to resolve unrealizable desires, it will be a miscalculation and a waste of time,'' he added.
The following June, North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported a statement by a researcher at the Japanese Institute. Regarding the abduction issue, he said, ``Japan is putting an unrealizable problem at the forefront and is continuing to maintain the old international status quo.
"I'm bringing it out on stage," he said. He then argued, ``This would be tantamount to denying the position of Japanese officials, who have stated at every opportunity that they would like to have a ``Japan-North Korea summit meeting without preconditions.''
The Institute for Japanese Studies appears to be under the umbrella of North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and when North Korea criticizes Japan, it often publishes statements under the names of researchers from the Institute for Japanese Studies.
Against this backdrop, in July of this year, the South Korean newspaper Dong-A Ilbo reported that Japanese and North Korean officials had conducted multiple water attacks in China and Singapore in June.
It was reported that there was a face-to-face contact. Citing multiple sources, the newspaper reported that there were discussions over issues such as the abduction of Japanese nationals and the holding of high-level talks, but the differences in opinion remained unresolved. In response to this report
At the time, Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno denied the matter, saying, ``There is no such fact.'' Then, on the 29th of last month, the Asahi Shimbun reported, ``Japanese government officials have been involved in North Korea's Workers' Party of Korea twice in Southeast Asia, in March and May of this year.''
Multiple Japan-North Korea sources testified that he had secret contact with the person in charge." According to the article, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is preparing the environment for a summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jung Eun.
It is said that they were considering sending government officials to Pyongyang as early as this fall, assuming that the plan would go ahead. However, since the talks, there has been no concrete progress and negotiations appear to have stalled.
Regarding this report, Prime Minister Kishida told reporters on the same day, ``Due to the nature of the matter, I will refrain from commenting.''
As mentioned above, Prime Minister Kishida announced in May of this year that he would like to hold "high-level discussions under my direct control" in order to realize a Japan-North Korea summit meeting.
Kyodo News pointed out, ``The timing of the remarks coincides with the period of Japan-North Korea contact.'' The 17th of last month marked 21 years since the first Japan-North Korea summit meeting was held. abduction
The families of the victims reiterated their appeal for a resolution as soon as possible, and called for an early Japan-North Korea summit meeting to achieve that goal.