Japanese Politician’s Abduction Comments Spark Harsh Reactions

Liberal Democratic Party member and former Chief Secretary Koichi Kato has sparked harsh reactions from bloggers [ja] and on 2channel [ja] with a comment he made on June 7th. In his comment, Kato connected the stagnation of Japanese-Korea negotiations with the government decision in 2002 not to return 5 Japanese abductees to North Korea after they had been delivered to Japan by North Korea for what was expected to be only a short time. The abductees were among a group of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea in the late 1970s and early 1980s, most of whom remain missing to this day.

According to the wire report [ja] quoted in blogs and forums, on the decision in 2002 not to return the visiting abductees to Pyongyang, Kato commented that: “(It was said that) if they were returned once, Pyongyang would kill them, but this is what distinguishes my political stance (from those of politicians like Abe [Shinzo]). There is no reason to believe that they would have been able to do that.”

Blogger jieeku at rare metal responds:

私はこの記事を読んで、憤っています。
どの様なことを言われても、拉致は犯罪行為のなにものでもないのですよ。

拉致被害者の家族の方がｵｯｼｬｯﾃいます。
「拉致問題は簡単なことなんです。犯罪だから」っと。
国民の大多数の人々が、拉致は犯罪だと考えています。
お国の政治家さんらは、被害者の方々を政治の道具としてしか、お考えになっていませんか？
日本国民を未だに犯罪から救い出すこともしないで、加藤さん、何をｵｯｼｬﾃおられるのですか。

Blogger kisaragiyayoi852 asks:

人として恥かしくないのか？
政治家って国益のためならば個人を見殺しにしてもいいという考えしかないのか？

Some were much more succinct in their message. Blogger yoshikazu53toyoshima reacts to the news with two lines:

黙れ、売国奴！

日本から立ち去れ！

At Cthulhu in the Water, another blogger offers this perspective, drawing a comparison with the hijacking of Japan Airlines Flight 351:

加藤紘一（敬称を付ける気にもならない）は、拉致被害者やその家族に面と向かって同じ台詞を言うことができるのか。もし も、北朝鮮との交渉に生け贄が必要だというのなら、なぜ、自分の家族を差し出すと言えないのか。かつて、よど号ハイジャック事件が起きたとき、山村新治郎 運輸政務次官は人質の身代わりとなって男を上げた。同じように、加藤紘一が自分の家族を差し出せば、政治家として株を上げることができただろう。自分は安 全な場所にいて、無力な拉致被害者を生け贄にしようなど、卑劣きわまりない。