Japan and Korea have suddenly interrupted the second round of negotiations. The meeting of two states representatives of has lasted only for 45 minutes then the Northern-Korean party has interrupted negotiations. The firm position of the Japanese delegation which planned to discuss a problem of the stolen Japanese citizens in 1970 and 1980th years, has served as the reason. Tokyo demands granting the information about the kidnapped people, careful investigation of all cases of the lost Japanese citizens, their returning, or in case of destruction someone, who would proof of their death. However Pyongyang considers this question as closed one.
The destiny of the kidnapped Japanese people is one of the main questions at issue in relations between Japan and Northern Korea. Northern Korea has admitted the fact of abduction of 13 Japanese citizens which Pyongyang wished to use for training North-Korean scouts. Korea declares that 8 of 13 Japanese people have died. Tokyo demands more detailed information about eight victims and three more citizens, who are also considered as lost. In the middle of June, 2006 the parliament of Japan has adopted the law on introduction of sanctions against Northern Korea in case Pyongyang will not solve the problem, concerning abductions of Japanese people by North-Korean special services.
These are the first negotiations since February, 2006 about normalization of diplomatic relations between two countries which have not been established from the beginning of Northern Korea existence in 1948.
After realization of nuclear tests by Northern Korea in October, 2006 Japan has completely stopped import of the goods to the republic, and has also closed all the ports for Korean ships.