In reaction to the news about North Korea’s attack on a South Korean island, Japan is on high alert. At this point, the Japanese government is not planning on gathering armaments and forces to combat the North Koreans. There is, however, a fear that the North Korean attack will escalate. Ever since the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, Japan has been cautious to enter into any military engagements. The Japanese public has a staunch anti war sentiment, due to the trauma of the bombings.

From the beginning, Japan has been against North Korea’s nuclear proliferation. In March of 2009, North Korea threatened to shot missiles to Japan. As a result of the tragedy that the Japanese people suffered from nuclear weapons, the Japanese don’t take North Korean threats lightly. The Japanese public is wary about anything having to do with war, fighting, and the military in general; which includes the U.S. military presence on Okinawa.

Therefore, if it does come to Japan getting ready for war, it’ll probably be done as a last resort under reluctant circumstances. Hopefully, it will not come to this. The Iraq War is enough as it is. Japan and North Korea have pretty much always butted heads. Japan has provided North Korea with financial aid on several occasions. In each instance, North Korea temporarily suspended their nuclear research, only to resume nuclear testing much later.

At this point the Japanese government and public are getting tired of North Korea’s antics. In the late 1970s and 1980s, North Korean spies abducted several Japanese civilians. The North Korean government has admitted to only 13 or so instances of the abductions, but there may have been significantly more abductees. The Prime Minister at the time Junichiro Koizumi made two official visits to North Korea to reunite the abductees with their families in Japan.

Some of the abductees were returned, but not all the abductees were released. The most publicized and heartbreaking story of a family pleading for their daughter is the story of Megumi Yokota :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W83DHHMfM0&feature=related

Ever since the abduction crisis, Japan and North Korea have been at odds with each other. North Korea blames Japan for its colonization of Korea in the 1900s. The North Koreans believe that retribution against Japan is the only way to make relations even between the two countries. Unfortunately this form of revenge has negatively impacted innocent Japanese citizens.