Alleged Remains of Abductee Handed Over
Japanese officials returned from North Korea with what Pyongyang says are the remains of a Japanese woman kidnapped 26 years ago and possessions of seven other abducted Japanese citizens.
North Korea has admitted kidnapping 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to teach North Korean spies about Japanese language and culture. The regime released five in 2002 but has said the eight others died.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi expressed dissatisfaction with North Korea’s investigation into the fate of the abductees and said Tokyo had not ruled out economic sanctions.
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