Mr. Speaker, for over 70 years, the United States and Japan have been bound together by a steadfast and loyal alliance. Our nations have come together in decades of peace and cooperation. Today,…
Mr. Speaker, for over 70 years, the United States and Japan have been bound together by a steadfast and loyal alliance. Our nations have come together in decades of peace and cooperation.
Today, however, our Japanese allies are facing mounting threats. China is ramping up its expansionist efforts, and the tyrannical regime of North Korea continues to develop its arsenal of nuclear weapons and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, which pose a direct threat to the civilian population of Japan.
In this increasingly unstable and bellicose environment, it has never been more important for the United States to stand strong in support of Japan.
North Korea, in particular, is guilty of grave human rights abuses against Japanese citizens. Since the 1970s, North Korea has covertly abducted 17 Japanese citizens from the homeland islands, some while they slept in their beds. In addition to these 17 officially recognized abductees, there are numerous other cases of missing Japanese citizens for whom the possibility of having been abducted and taken to North Korea simply can't be ruled out. The agony of not knowing haunts these families, and the fear of abductions in the night from the sea has haunted coastal communities in Japan for decades.
Every single one of these abductions is a horrific tragedy that has caused untold suffering. Perhaps even more disturbing is North Korea's heartless and transparent deception concerning the status of these victims. For example, while North Korea claims eight of these abductees have died from causes like suicide, heart attacks, and traffic accidents inside North Korea, the regime has never produced any objectively verifiable evidence of their deaths to the families who just want to know.
The North Koreans have conveniently claimed that the remains of some of the abductees were washed away in floods. They have even handed over alleged abductee remains to Japan only for the DNA testing to later show that these alleged remains do not match the identities of the abducted victims. It is unimaginably cruel.
North Korea's treatment of Japan and its citizens is nothing short of evil and an inhuman crime. America doesn't allow its allies to be bullied. That is why I introduced H. Res. 620, a resolution that seeks to carry out justice for the Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea. This resolution accomplishes three major goals.
First, it provides official congressional recognition of the horrific abductions of Japanese citizens by the North Koreans. This includes an acknowledgment that North Korea has violated the basic human rights of these Japanese citizens and that only 5 of the 17 officially recognized abductees have been returned to Japan.
Second, this resolution urges North Korea to take action on rectifying these abuses. It calls upon North Korea to release all foreign abducted nationals, including those from Japan. It also urges North Korea to return the remains of all deceased abductees, provide information about their demise, and make reparations for these crimes.
Lastly, the resolution reaffirms Congress' commitment to our alliance with Japan and to American strength abroad. When America is weak, our enemies are empowered; our allies are endangered; and our national security is put at risk. When America is strong, we hold our enemies accountable for their actions; we defend our allies; and we keep our country safe.
The alliance with Japan is the bedrock of America's influence in Asia and our security. Strong and unapologetic support for Japan is an essential component of American foreign policy. We in Congress must all speak as one and stand with Japan. We will not let such a faithful and crucial ally be pushed around by a tyrannical and rogue regime.
I am incredibly proud to introduce this resolution. I thank Congresswoman Tokuda for co-leading this bipartisan effort.
Stop for a moment and remember the suffering of these families who have had their family members taken from them without any knowledge of their well-being.
