The Unsteady Policy of Japan on North Korea


     Dana Lewis, a columnist of Newsweek (Japanese Edition), has severely criticized the Japanese
diplomacy of dependence in the magazine on December 4, 2002. Her main assertion is the
diplomacy toward North Korea by Junichiro Koizumi has completely changed into the sentimental
sympathy of a nation. However, Koizumi is also weak in diplomatic negotiations with North Korea,
which causes public unrest. She writes the Japanese government has been neglecting the
construction of diplomatic tactics to cooperate with other countries. She concludes in the same
magazine that Japan has to pay dearly for her idleness in openly enjoying peace and economic growth.
     Recently, a fact of showing lack of policy by the government was found out. The Asahi on
December 5, 2002 reported a corporate juridical body gNihon-Gaiko-Kyokaih (The Diplomatic
Association of Japan) had supported North Korea with provisions. This corporate juridical body is a
public-service corporation under the control of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and has been given
1,000,000 to 3,000,000 yen a year from the secret funds of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According
to different news, it seems that a pinball trade in Saitama Prefecture is related to the corporate
juridical person. There are many people having something to do with North Korea in the pinball trade.
Why do Nihon-Gaiko-Kyokai and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have to support North Korea stealthily?
The above corporate juridical body and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are now exposed to the heat of
criticism.
     Although the suspicious relations between Nihon-Gaiko-Kyokai and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
must be completely investigated, it is still unclear why Japan should help North Korea by sending food
wasting tax. It is doubtful whether something collateral might be given in return to them from North
Korea. The Japanese policy on North Korea has not put on a firm basis and has always been swinging
back and forth, right and left.          


Copyright (C) 2003 by Edmond N. Beard