Pyongyang releases a Japanese tourist on humanitarian grounds

Tomoyuki Sugimoto was detained for videotaping a military facility in Nampo. Talks between Japan and North Korea remain difficult. Tokyo wants the truth about the Japanese abducted in the 1970s and 1980s, but for Pyongyang the question is settled. Talks with Washington suffer a setback after Mike Pompeo cancels visit, a step that also undermines the inter-Korean dialogue.

Tokyo (AsiaNew/Agencies) – North Korea has released a Japanese tourist on "humanitarian" grounds. Tomoyuki Sugimoto, who had been arrested in early August, arrived today in China, where he was welcomed by Japanese officials, the Kyodo news agency reports, citing diplomatic sources.

On Sunday, North Korean state-run media had reported that North Korean authorities had decided to expel him "on the principle of humanitarianism."

Sugimoto, in his 30s, was visiting the country on a tour arranged by a China-based travel agency. He may have been suspected of shooting video footage of a military facility when he visited the western port city of Nampo with the tour group.

Sugimoto’s arrest touches an open wound in relations between North Korea and Japan. For months, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been trying to arrange a summit with Kim Jong-un to solve what he calls "his life’s work", namely finding out what happened to Japanese nationals seized by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s.

However, the question seems destined to remain unsolved since Pyongyang insists that it was already "resolved". For its part, North Korea has not stopped criticising Japan, calling on Tokyo to atone for its past military occupation and colonial rule of Korea.

Meanwhile, talks between North Korea and the United States suffered another setback, after a scheduled visit by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was cancelled last Friday.

For the United States, North Korea has not satisfactorily progressed in dismantling its nuclear weapons programme.

The decision has also negatively affected intra-Korean dialogue. Today South Korea said that it was re-evaluating the opening of a joint liaison office with North Korea, which was planned for this month.

This could be embarrassing to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who is expected to visit Pyongyang next month for the third summit with Kim Jong-un. North Korea could ask Seoul to ease the sanctions, something that South Korea might not be able to do.

In any case, some experts believe the US move is directed more against Beijing – accused of interfering with denuclearisation – than against Pyongyang.

For their part, South Koreans appear united in the search of dialogue with the North.

In a survey by Gallup Korea on 21-22 August, 71.8 per cent of the respondents said that South Korea’s National Assembly should ratify the 27 April summit declaration.

• korea
• japan
• south
• north
• tourist
• detention
• release
• inter-korean dialogue
• united states
• mike pompeo