JAPAN: NORTH KOREAN RESIDENTS SHOW SUPPORT FOR KIM JONG II

(13 Sep 1998) Japanese/Nat

Thousands of North Koreans living in Japan held a mass rally on Sunday in a show of support for North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il.

They also vowed to unite against increasing Japanese hostility.

Tokyo quickly imposed sanctions against North Korea after Pyongyang reportedly fired a two stage missile over Japan two weeks ago.

But it now appears the missile was in fact a failed satellite launch, not a new type of ballistic missile as Japan suspects.

At a mass rally in Tokyo on Sunday thousands of North Koreans living in Japan voiced their support for their country's hardline communist leader.

Their show of solidarity comes as relations between the two countries deteriorate.

The rally was a show of support for Kim Jong Il, who was confirmed last week as chairman of the enhanced National Defence Commission, effectively making him North Korean head of state by abolishing the state presidency.

The demonstration was also a rally of unity for the Japanese North Koreans themselves.

The North Korean residents association says its members have been subject to physical abuse, death threats and general harassment from Japanese since last month when North Korea launched what appeared to be a two stage missile over Japan.

Pyongyang says it was a scientific satellite launch, a position reinforced by South Korean Foreign Minister's comments last Thursday that North Korea's claims may be true.

The communist state has demanded an apology from Japan, but the Japanese authorities still think it was a two stage ballistic missile.

The Japanese government has cut commercial flights, frozen a pledge of one (b) billion dollars to help the North develop a nuclear power facility for civilian use and is even looking at ways to stop these people from sending money back to Pyongyang.

This is what dominated small talk amongst the crowd, not so much about Kim Jong Il gaining more power in Pyongyang.

SOUNDBITE: (Japanese)
"This is matter of life or death. Our children can be attacked on a train or anywhere in Japan. And nobody will help them."
SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop, rally participant

SOUNDBITE: (Japanese)
"We received telephone call at the school in relation to the missile, they said they would kidnap school children."
SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop, rally participant

SOUNDBITE: (Japanese)
"It is not good to take a revenge on a issue which they still have not reached a certain conclusion."
SUPER CAPTION: Voxpop, rally participant

All was forgotten though, at least for a while, when hundreds of children and teenagers took to the stage for traditional song and dance.

The singing and dancing highlighted the rally's aim - a time to celebrate for North Koreans living in Japan and also a time to unite and rally against what they perceive as Japanese hostility.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...