Amid ongoing arrangements for possible Japan-North Korea summit talks, differences have emerged between two key suprapartisan groups of lawmakers on how to deal with Pyongyang, portending a potential conflict as to whether dialogue or the continuation of sanctions should be prioritized.
One of the parliamentary groups, chaired by former House of Representatives Vice Speaker Seishiro Eto, promotes normalized relations between Japan and North Korea and supports dialogue with Pyongyang.
Eto's parliamentarians' league for promoting normalizing ties between Japan and North Korea held a general meeting at the Diet on Thursday in which it committed to stepping up its activities in response to North Korea's shift toward dialogue. It aims to open up its own diplomatic channels among lawmakers with the aim of promoting normalized Japan-North Korea relations.
Hitoshi Tanaka, a former deputy minister for foreign affairs who led back-channel negotiations to realize Japan-North Korea summit talks in 2002, spoke at the meeting.
"Diplomatic normalization will precede a solution to the abduction and missile issues," Tanaka said. "Talks on normalization and the abduction issue must be integrated."
Some members in the league insisted that sanctions against North Korea should be eased to promote dialogue. After the meeting, Eto told reporters, "If the prime minister proposed summit talks while leaving the Diet's sanctions resolution in place, it would be difficult for North Korea to accept."
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary League for Early Repatriation of Japanese Citizens Kidnapped by North Korea warily observes the activities of Eto's group.
Led by Keiji Furuya, a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker who chairs the lower house's Committee on Rules and Administration, his group demands the early repatriation of all Japanese abductees. It also opposes easing sanctions until Pyongyang offers comprehensive solutions to other issues such as North Korea's nuclear and missile development.
The group also held an executive members' meeting at the Diet on Thursday, inviting Katsunobu Kato, minister in charge of the abduction issue, and others to attend.
Furuya warned against a dialogue-oriented approach, saying, "We'll gain nothing if we are overly hasty in pursuing dialogue."
The group decided to ask the prime minister to refrain from hastily advancing Japan-North Korea talks and was set to submit its request on Friday.
According to attendees of the meeting, some members criticized Eto's league for promoting normalization.
However, a senior member from Furuya's group said, "It'll only benefit North Korea if our leagues come into conflict and cause a split within Japan."
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