Staff writer
Several younger-generation Diet members, mostly conservatives, are growing impatient with what they consider to be a lukewarm government policy toward North Korea and are calling for a more hardline position toward Pyongyang.
Upper House member Ichita Yamamoto, from the Liberal Democratic Party, argues that Tokyo critically lacks a strategy for dealing with the reclusive neighbor. "(North Korea's) missile development, suspected nuclear facilities, kidnappings -- these are happening very close to this country, but the Japanese government has failed to come up with effective diplomatic policy (to stop them)," Yamamoto said.