Don't underestimate the depth of genuine public anger in Japan over the abduction issue with North Korea. At the same time don't underestimate the degree to which Japan's powerful rightwing is exploiting the issue to shift Japan even further to hardline foreign policies, a shift typified by the extraordinary pomp and jingoism in the recent send-off for troops going to Iraq.
Nor is there much to suggest that Tokyo is in the right over the abduction issue. During Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's historic September 2002 talks in Pyongyang, North Korea about-faced dramatically to admit, and even apologize for, past abductions of Japanese citizens. Its willingness to release five of the abductees to go to Japan was a clear bid to improve relations. But now we see it being used as a blunt weapon for creating worse relations.
North Korea released the five abductees in exchange for a promise that they would return within two weeks. Tokyo has reneged on that promise. What's more, it now insists that North Korea send to Japan the family members of these former abductees, regardless of whether they want to go or not. And it will not allow the parents to return to North Korea, even briefly, to confirm or persuade the children to go.