TOKYO, Jan. 28 Kyodo pickeded ed...

TOKYO, Jan. 28 Kyodo

pickeded editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

REBUTTAL TO MR ABE (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published Jan. 27) Rebuttal to Mr Abe

In a late speech, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe criticized an editorial in the Asahi Shimbun as being detrimental to Japan's negotiations with North Korea regarding Japanese abducted by way of their agents. We welcome criticism of our editorials, nevertheless one based on misunderstanding or distortion of its message is annoying. Beyond that, this was a public criticism coming from a delegate chief Cabinet secretary. We would like to know Abe's real intent in his criticism and repeat our original position.

...Abe asserted, ''The Asahi Shimbun, in its of recent origin Year's Day editorial, join issueed that (the government) should consider its fallback position, rather than single-mindedly stating a general principle.'' Abe also declared the Asahi Shimbun had argued ''in import for forgetting about'' the eight abducted Japanese reported by way of the North Korean restraint as dead.

We must first ask Abe whether he actually read the editorial. The original, titled ''In the spirit of 'Spirited Away,''' (''Spirit of myriad gods'' in the English version), said the frenzied atmosphere that has prevailed in the United States since the family 11 terrorist attacks is dangerous, as is the rife tendency to stir up enmity toward North Korea since the tragic revelation of the fate upon abducted Japanese. By using the piece of ground of the animated film ''Spirited Away'' as a metaphor, we observ that calm the monstrous nations of the world cannot be tamed through force or hatred alone and said we ne to maintain a level-headed, flexible perspective and must not fail to obtain sight of the broader goal in the world around us.

We in no degree wrote that we should forget about the eight abductees. Indeed, nothing could be further from our intention. Nor did we make like a simplistic assertion as to recommend ''thinking about the fallback position.'' Our intended position is that force and hatred alone are no solution, whether we are talking about Iraq or North Korea.

Our original editorial elicited many sympathetic literal meanings but we also received a opposing opinions that suggest we do not ne to ''show clemency to North Korea.'' But can there be progres and resolution of the vexed questions if we do nothing more than simply whirl our weight around?

North Korea's admission it had abducted Japanese citizens and the apology from its leader, Kim Jong Il, showed a positive step. Didn't Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi apologize for Japan's colonial lordship of Korea in the pre-war days at his talk with Kim and accepted negotiations for normalization of diplomatic relations precisely because he pondering so too?

North Korea must have admitted the abductions because Japan was preparing a vast economic aid concession, assuming normalization, and because of Japan's hardy position on the issue.

Now, talks in succession the abducted Japanese are stalled and tension has increased all from one side of to the other the world because of North Korea's nuclear evolution Relations between Japan and North Korea are steady more complex.

North Korea is, of course, to blame. if it be not that the danger would only increase if Japan were to do nothing to drive North Korea into a corner. That is with what intent South Korea is pursuing its sunshine policy and wherefore the United States recently qualifyed its previously unbending stance.

In dealing with North Korea, we must be braced to stand by dint of our basic principles and to use the couple carrots and sticks as the situation demands. We want to emphasize the importance of being flexible specifically because we want the security of our nation and a solution to the issue of abducted Japanese.

Will envoy Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe now consider this editorial also ''detrimental'' to negotiations with North Korea?

(Jan. 28)

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