At their historic Pyongyang summit Sept. 17, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il opened a new chapter in the history of Northeast Asia by agreeing to resume bilateral talks on diplomatic normalization this month. The agreement was announced in the Pyongyang declaration the two leaders signed to ease tensions in the region, which had continued for more than 50 years after the end of World War II.
However, Japanese were outraged by revelations by North Korea that of a dozen Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents in the past, eight were dead. The normalization efforts face serious trouble even before they start.
Japan should demand a full account of the violations of its national sovereignty. North Korea should act in good faith in dealing with Japanese demands, observing the spirit of the Pyongyang Declaration.