A Japanese delegation visited North Korea today to discsss the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 80s.

The seriousness of the delegation was underscored when it was revealed that it was led by the Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister, no less.

Pyongyang’s motivtion for opening discussion on this issue is fairly obvious. With the six-nation talks due to address the nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula later this month, North Korea needs to find some measure of support. The issue of the abductees are one of the few ways it can put pressure on the Japanese government to give it some minimal and probably very grudging support in the talks.

Japan, however, has reiterated its position that it will not let this issue affect its position…

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, upon receiving notice of the team’s visit, gave instructions to stand firm and “maintain the current government stance” on the abduction issue, sources said.

If this is the case, I have to question why Japan felt it appropriate to send such a high level delegation to Pyongyang. Despite the importance of the issue in Japan, and the need to impress the domestic electorate, I can’t help but feel that Japan has shown itself to be overeager. I can’t imagine there is any way North Korea will ever hand the abductess to Japan before the nuclear talks have been resolved, and Japan’s actions today can only encourage North Korea to string her along further, to the detriment of the talks.

More on the background to this issue is at the BBC website.