Japan and IOC Reportedly Discuss North Korean Olympic Signals

(ATR) The Tokyo 2020 Olympics may provide the IOC with the biggest test of apparent diplomatic breakthroughs it facilitated during the PyeongChang 2018 Games.

IOC President Thomas Bach requested a phone call with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after his meeting with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, according to Jiji Press. Reports of the call said that Bach briefed Abe on Kim’s statements signaling a desire to participate in the 2020 and 2022 Olympics.

North Korea’s participation in the 2020 Olympics would not be out of the norm, except for the complicating factors of diplomatic history between it and Japan. During the 1970s North Korea abducted a number of Japanese nationals. An admission about the abductions came decades later, though the issue and scale of the abductions has never been fully resolved.

A lack of resolution has stunted any chance of full diplomatic relations between the two countries. Abe has sought to meet with Kim directly in a summit after South Korea and the United States have scheduled and signaled meetings with North Korea.

Analysts have said that Japan, a staunch ally of the U.S., is seeking a summit to risk not missing out on diplomatic developments in Northeast Asia. Any Japan-North Korea summit would likely have to address the still open-ended issue of Japanese abductions.

Earlier this week Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori was quoted as telling reporters that he "hopes the IOC will proceed with [North Korean participation] fully mindful of the feelings of Japanese people".

"It’s a very big problem to kidnap people from other countries and never return them," Mori said, noting his appreciation of the IOC seeking Olympic participation of as many countries as possible.

Japanese ministers discussing the abduction issue in press conferences have stopped short of endorsing North Korea attending the 2020 Games. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said in a press conference the matter must be discussed with the government, the IOC, and Tokyo 2020 organizers.

Shunichi Suzuki, the cabinet member in charge of the Olympics, echoed Suga’s statements.

"Our basic position is that it’s better to have more countries as the Olympics are a festival of peace," Suzuki was quoted as saying.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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