North Korea may be keeping a close eye on who will succeed Shinzo Abe after the Japanese prime minister, who described rescuing Japanese citizens abducted by Pyongyang in the 1970s and 1980s as a lifelong commitment, stepped down. Reported by The Japan Times, citing a source.
“North Korea might be happy to hear that Abe will step down as he took a tough line,” towards Pyongyang, one diplomat said.
After the five abducted returned to Japan in 2002, the country has sought the return of 12 more people, whom it has officially recognized as kidnapped by North Korean agents, the newspaper said. Tokyo also suspects North Korea is involved in the disappearances of other Japanese citizens.
However, the DPRK said it was no longer a problem, noting that eight of them died and four never entered the country.
The diplomat added that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may be “interested in whether Japan's next prime minister will stick to this issue like Abe.”
On August 28, it became known about the resignation of Shinzo Abe, who held office longer than other leaders of Japan – he spent 2799 days in the position of prime minister. The decision was made due to health problems: a disease that had long tormented the politician worsened. He stated that he deeply apologizes for the inability to fulfill his duties and regrets that he did not achieve the conclusion of a peace treaty with Russia. The probable successor of Abe is called the secretary general of the country's government, Yoshihide Sugu.
