Japan expects Clinton's Japan visit on Feb. 16 to help resolve abduction issue. Now if only the issue of married/divorce Japanese women kidnapping their biracial / dual nationality children is discussed! 

A Japan-U.S. negotiator commented:  "The Obama administration is fully aware that removing North Korea from the terror list has not helped resolve the issue; on the contrary, it has complicated U.S. relations with Japan. The Obama administration will not make the same mistake as its predecessor. The administration also is keeping in mind the DPRK's violation of the 1994 Framework Agreement with the U.S. under the Clinton administration that resulted in giving Pyongyang time to develop nuclear weapons."

A Foreign Ministry source, however, noted: "Since the U.S. gives priority to the nuclear issue over the abduction issue, if new moves are observed in North Korea, Japan's view probably will be ignored."

Kyoko Nakayama, special advisor to the prime minister, visited the U.S. in January and asked key U.S. government officials to continue to help resolve the abduction issue. However, according to a senior Foreign Ministry official, North Korea is also trying to have its views reflected in the new U.S. administration's policy. Optimism may not be warranted regarding how the U.S. will respond. Source: excerpts from Sankei Shimbun