Japan, North Korea hold secret talks over abductions

TOKYO (PNA/Sputnik) — Japan reportedly has held clandestine negotiations with North Korea on neutral grounds over abducted Japanese citizens.

Japan has held clandestine negotiations with North Korea on neutral grounds over Japanese citizens abducted on the Korean peninsula decades ago, local media reported Monday.

The two sides met in the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator in May over the fate of 12 Japanese nationals abducted in the 1970s and 1980s, the Kyodo agency cited a Mongolian diplomatic source as saying.

Pyongyang has officially admitted to abducting 13 Japanese citizens from 1977 to 1983. It released five of the detainees in 2002 and 2004, claiming that the remaining eight had died.

North Korea launched a probe into the kidnappings in July 2014. According to the Mongolian source, the North Korean negotiators requested an extension of Tokyo’s July 4, 2015 deadline to conduct its comprehensive investigation.

The outlet went on to say on Monday that Pyongyang conducted previous probes in 2002 and 2004, but Tokyo had found them unconvincing.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent one of his executive secretaries to Ulan Bator, which maintains diplomatic relations with Pyongyang, in May to request clarification on the fate of the victims. The source did not rule out that the secretary took part in the secret talks.

On Sunday, the head of Japan’s National Security Council and Abe’s key foreign policy adviser, Shotaro Yachi, met with Mongolian National Security Council Secretary Tsagaandari Enkhtuvshin. Enkhtuvshin was cited as telling reporters he pledged to continue serving as a mediator in settling the abduction cases.