Suspense is growing over whether the first North-South Korea summit will be held in June as scheduled. It has obscured ongoing Japan-North Korea talks on diplomatic normalization. Japanese public attention is focused on the alleged abduction of a dozen Japanese by North Korean agents. It is anybody's guess how the question will be settled.
There are three conceivable ways to solve the problem.
First, North Korea could admit its involvement in the disappearance of the Japanese and take proper action. However, this is highly unlikely, even if the allegations are true.