Rodong Sinmun says that it was the aim of Aso's tour of Europe to reap "fruits" in a bid to stop the support rate for the government of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan from declining and cope with the forthcoming House of Representatives election.

It goes on:

At the talks held during the junket he, pulling up the DPRK over its satellite launch and nuclear issue, behaved in such a coquettish manner as expressing "thanks" to the European Union for issuing a statement critical of them and went so foolish as to solicit for "support" and "solidarity" with the call for the early resumption of the six-party talks. By doing so, he showed the sign of his pathological symptom too early for his age.

During the above-said junket he raised the irrelevant abduction issue, which no longer exists, as part of the renewed smear campaign against the DPRK, without uttering even a word of reflecting on the crimes Japan committed in the past. This ridiculous solicitation diplomacy conducted by Aso as a political philistine, while impertinently talking about a solution and the like, only invited public scorn.

Aso has no characteristic feature as a statesman, except having only bitterness towards Koreans, the commentary notes, and goes on: Though he is greedy for power, he is incompetent in politics. He is nothing but a political charlatan who does not know where to stand, a mere puppet and a guy with a poor knowledge of history.

It is quite clear that Aso could act a political bete noire at best during his European trip.

He is fated to meet the same miserable lot as Abe did if he keeps going reckless with the hostile policy toward the DPRK as now, warns the commentary.

Minju Joson urges Aso to be careful in his demeanor if he wants to escape the same wretched plight as that of Abe who went mad for good for his reckless behavior.