Japan's government is stepping up pressure on North Korea to help resolve the fate of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korean agents three decades ago, a senior Japanese official said yesterday.
Vice Foreign Minister Akiko Yamanaka said the Bush administration is strongly supporting Tokyo's efforts to find out what happened to the missing Japanese.
Mrs. Yamanaka and the mother of one of the abducted Japanese met with President Bush yesterday.
Mr. Bush voiced support for resolving the abduction issue and also for doing more to help defectors from North Korea get out of the reclusive communist state.