This chapter reveals how denial of North Korea’s abductions existed within Japan, and how Prime Minister Abe persistently raised the issue internationally, exposing a deeply rooted national problem.

In fact, there were many members of the Diet who claimed that “North Korea did not abduct anyone.”
2018-01-03
What follows is a continuation of the previous chapter.
Nakarai
Did you explain the abduction issue to President Donald Trump?
Abe
When I met him for the first time in November the year before last at Trump Tower in New York, I spoke about the abduction issue.
Not only with President Trump, but with every leader I meet for the first time, I always explain the abduction issue.
Ganaha
It is a problem that there are citizens who avert their eyes even when fellow Japanese are abducted.
Abe
It is a very deep-rooted problem.
In 1977, Ms. Megumi Yokota was abducted, but by that time another abduction case had already occurred.
Sakurai
That was Mr. Yutaka Kume, correct?
Abe
Yes.
At that time, there were leads on the perpetrator, but it did not lead to punishment.
That was the situation back then.
If it had been identified as North Korea’s crime, I believe Megumi would not have been abducted.
In reality, there were many Diet members who asserted that “North Korea did not carry out abductions.”
Even within the Liberal Democratic Party, there were views that regarded me as “an odd person” for working on the abduction issue.
It is a matter of the deepest regret that even now, in the sixth year of the Abe administration, we have not resolved the abduction issue, but as the mission of this administration, we will continue to devote all our efforts toward its resolution.
The vast majority of the Japanese people—including myself—must have learned this fact for the first time.
In other words, Prime Minister Abe is a politician who has consistently and straightforwardly faced facts that we—especially readers of the Asahi Shimbun—did not know at all.
Here again, readers will recognize that my assessment of Prime Minister Abe was entirely correct.
To be continued.