Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO98
2008-01-11 07:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

JAPAN NEW ABDUCTEE NGO CHAIRMAN HOPES FOR SUPPORT

Tags:  PREL PGOV JA KN 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000098 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV JA KN
SUBJECT: JAPAN NEW ABDUCTEE NGO CHAIRMAN HOPES FOR SUPPORT
FROM NEW ROK PRESIDENT


Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i. Joseph R. Donovan. Reasons 1.4
(B) (D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000098

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/11/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV JA KN
SUBJECT: JAPAN NEW ABDUCTEE NGO CHAIRMAN HOPES FOR SUPPORT
FROM NEW ROK PRESIDENT


Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i. Joseph R. Donovan. Reasons 1.4
(B) (D)


1. (C) Summary. The newly-appointed chair of Japan's leading
abduction NGO expressed appreciation for the letter sent by
President Bush to DPRK leader Kim Jong-il in December, which
NGO members believe would "raise the hurdle for the DPRK on
the nuclear and abduction issues." He expressed hope that the
selection of a new ROK president would lead to a United
States-Japan-ROK "cooperation framework" to make abductions a
national issue in South Korea and lead to closer cooperation
with Japan. NGO leaders remain skeptical about a new LDP
sub-committee on North Korea headed by senior LDP faction
leader Taku Yamasaki, which "hinders" abduction efforts and
does not communicate with the three major abduction NGO's.
The chairman characterized as "weak" PM Fukuda's resolve in
addressing the abduction issue, noting that Japanese
officials have so far taken few concrete measures. End
Summary.

--------------
Appreciation
--------------


2. (C) Shigeo Iizuka, newly-appointed chairman of Japan's
leading NGO on abduction issues, the Association of the
Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea (AFKVN),
discussed the abduction issue with Embassy political officer
on January 9. Iizuka expressed appreciation for the letter
sent by President Bush to DPRK leader Kim Jong-il in
December, which the AFKVN head believed would "raise the
hurdle for the DPRK on the nuclear and abduction issues."
AFVKN members assess that the Ambassador's support on the
abduction issue, combined with the close cooperation between
U.S. and Japanese parliamentarians demonstrated by an
abduction-related Diet delegation's visit to Washington in
November, led to President Bush's decision to correspond with
the DPRK leader. Iizuka promised that the abductee families
"will never forget that President Bush expressed the view
that the abduction issue is a terrible thing."

--------------
ROK Administration
--------------


3. (C) Noting that the ROK will have a new party in power for
the first time in ten years, Iizuka expressed hope that the

United States, Japan, and South Korea would resume the
"cooperation framework" dialogue that ended several years
ago. He opined that trilateral cooperation might motivate
Seoul, whose own citizens were also abducted by Pyongyang, to
make abduction a national issue, and lead to closer
cooperation with Japan. Iizuka guessed that Seoul
authorities have concrete information on Japanese abductees
who, according to AFVKN, are still being held captive in
North Korea.


4. (C) AFKVN maintains contact with ROK NGO's dealing with
the issue, Iizuka noted. He asserted, however, the Roh
Administration's lack of support for resolving the issue has
meant that such groups receive little support from the pubic.

--------------
Fukuda
--------------


5. (C) Iizuka characterized as "weak" PM Fukuda's resolve in
addressing the abduction issue, noting that Japanese
officials have so far taken few concrete measures. Tokyo
officials, according to Iizuka, should offer Pyongyang the
promise of economic assistance or the possibility of
normalization in order to entice the DPRK. Additional
sanctions would also be an option.

--------------
LDP Committee
--------------

TOKYO 00000098 002 OF 002




6. (C) Iizuka expressed skepticism and suspicion about a new
LDP sub-committee on North Korea headed by senior LDP Diet
member Taku Yamasaki. Although sub-committee members claim
they want to resolve the abduction issue, Iizuka said,
AFKVN's views on how to address the problem differ from those
of Yamasaki. AFKVN demands that the DPRK unconditionally
return all abductees, Iizuka said, while the LDP committee
members would settle for the return of some victims and
accept Pyongyang's word that no further abductees remained.
According to Iizuka, Yamasaki's group "hinders" AFVKN's
efforts and does not communicate with the three major
abduction NGO's. AFKVN members likewise avoid talking to the
sub-committee fearing that Yamasaki would misuse their
remarks.

--------------
2008 Activities
--------------


7. (C) AFVKN established what Iizuka described as an
"international coalition" with NGO's in other countries whose
citizens have been abducted. Coalition partners include ROK
abductee family groups, professors, and NGO's. Iizuka said
he planned to hold an "international rally" is South Korea in
March 2008. AFVKN will call on the Japanese government to
push Seoul to support the rally.

--------------
Congressional Visit
--------------


8. (C) Iizuka reviewed the November 2007 visit to Washington
of an abduction supporters' delegation composed of NGO's and
the Diet Parliamentary League on Abductions. He observed
that the delegation was the first Diet group to directly talk
with Congress on abductions. According to Iizuka,
"increasing numbers of members of both houses of the United
States Congress" oppose taking a "soft" approach to North
Korea. AFVKN members believe the trip allowed Japanese
parliamentarians to show Congress the importance the Diet
places on the abduction issue.

--------------
Sgt. Jenkins
--------------


9. (C) As the lunch broke up, Iizuka said that convicted
United States Army deserter Sgt. Charles Jenkins and his
wife, returned abductee Hitomi Soga, are living on Sado
Island, where Jenkins works as a clerk selling souvenirs and
local products. Jenkins, presence draws a number of
tourists who ask to have their pictures taken with the former
GI. Jenkins, two daughters, whom Iizuka estimated as being
in their early-to-middle 20's, are university students who
live apart from their parents in Niigata.
DONOVAN