Fuwa on Koizumi's revisit to North Korea and JCP view of North Korea question

Japanese Communist Party Central Committee Chair Fuwa Tetsuzo used his speech on May 18 at a major speech assembly in Tokyo to expound the JCP position on the efforts to resolve the North Korea question, including the abduction issue and establish peaceful relations with the countries in Northeast Asia in connection with Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro's visit to North Korea scheduled for May 22.

Fuwa said, "It is too early to predict the outcome of the prime minister's revisit. Now that the Pyongyang Declaration has paved the way for a resolution, no advance will be possible without following its path."

Japan and North Korea in September 2002 signed the Pyongyang Declaration at the talks between Prime Minister Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, which included an agreement to resume talks aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations, Koizumi was the first Japanese prime minister to visit North Korea, a country which Japan has had no diplomatic ties .

Fuwa stressed that the JCP has been persistent in calling on the government to work to "resolve the abduction issue in the progress of resumed normalization talks," and the proposal at last influenced the government's action.

He pointed out that the abduction issue was part of illegal acts committed internationally by North Korea in the 1970s through the 1980s. He also stressed that the JCP was the only political party to take up this issue in the Diet at the time, forcing the government to acknowledge for the first time that North Korea was suspected of abducting missing Japanese nationals.

Fuwa said, "At that time, all the other parties were vying with each other for closer relations with North Korea instead of taking up the issue of missing persons in various parts of Japan" as part of the broader North Korea question.

Fuwa went on to say, "We are not saying 'No' to any diplomatic proposals, as some people are describing the JCP position. The JCP will cooperate with the government in promoting a foreign policy agenda that can be in the true national interests of Japan, and make proposals that may help achieve a reasonable resolution of the question. As regards the North Korea question, the JCP makes it a rule to put top priority on protecting Japan's peace and security.

Referring to those who argue for the need to oust the present regime, when it comes to the issue of North Korea, Fuwa said, "A government of a country should be determined by the country and its people. Calling for regime change in a foreign country just because one dislikes it is similar to what the U.S. Bush administration is doing in Iraq."

Fuwa stressed that if the abduction issue is resolved, paving the way for normalizing diplomatic relations, the progress "will favorably affect the coming 6-party talks."

He added that the move will also help North Korea to resolve all accounts of its past internationally illegal actions and establish the new conditions for North Korea to return to the international community. He added, "It will also help create in Northeast Asia a peaceful international climate and improve the conditions in which Japan can enjoy peace in Asia in the 21st century." (end)