Clear is aim in insisting on the return of the abductees who have already died.

This politically-motivated fraud is aimed to win popularity by portraying the dead persons as alive.

Matsubara said he would make positive efforts for the settlement of the "abduction issue" ahead of the tenth anniversary since former Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to the DPRK.

Matsubara's remarks cannot be interpreted otherwise than an intention not to settle the "abduction issue" because the dead persons cannot come back to life. This is another new challenge to the DPRK.

As far as the "abduction issue" is concerned, it had already been settled thanks to the DPRK's magnanimity and sincere efforts, so it does not exist any longer.

Japan has already been informed of the death of abductees.

The DPRK sent back the abductees and their families and articles left by the dead, as well as data on verifying the settlement of abduction.

But the Japanese reactionaries are raising the abduction issue while portraying the dead as alive, in defiance of the DPRK's sincere efforts. Only those steeped in confrontation with the DPRK such as Matsubara can spread lies and commit sordid acts without hesitation in order to improve their images. No matter what lies they spread over the "abduction issue", they will only make those who lend an ear to them more pitiful.

Days are gone when they used to use the "abduction issue" as a lever for satisfying their political greed.

The opinion poll conducted by the Japanese government on July 19 showed that persons including youth are becoming less and less concerned about the "abduction issue". This tells that many Japanese have seen through the deceptive nature of the "abduction issue" and are paying no heed to it.

Japanese politicians should roll back the old-fashioned hostile policy toward the DPRK and swim with the trend of the times. This will be a right choice for winning political popularity.