Prime Minister Naoto Kan held the fourth meeting of the Headquarters on the Abduction Issue at the Prime Minister's Office.

During the meeting, the members of the Headquarters reviewed the activities conducted thus far and held discussion on efforts to be made going forward.

The Prime Minister said in his opening address, "I convened this meeting to reaffirm, together with everyone gathered here today, what needs to be done in order to realize the return of the abductees at the earliest possible date, when the current situation of North Korea is, in a sense, becoming very tense, or is moving into a critical phase.
It is true that we are facing difficulties in setting a course for the resolution of the issue. In a broad sense, we need to consider what kind of actions of Japan will be effective and desirable in order to comprehensively resolve the abduction and nuclear issues that North Korea has raised in Northeast Asia. This is a strategic view that we also need to take.
In any event, the situation being tense, the rescue of the abductees is an issue involving the foundation of Japan's sovereignty. I ask that the Headquarters on the Abduction Issue propose a number of courses of actions, based on which I will make a decision."