A/HRC/4/15 page 16 49. The Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea did not reply to this communication sent by the Special Rapporteur. IV. COUNTRY VISITS 50. The Special Rapporteur carried official visits to Japan, the Republic of Korea and Mongolia in 2005. The details of his earlier visits can be found in previous reports. It is not the intention here to repeat the background information, and related laws, policies and practices already discussed. His visits in 2006 were thus aimed at updating the information as a follow-up to his earlier trips. He warmly thanks the relevant Governments, United Nations agencies and members of civil society for facilitating his visits. It was particularly important for him to meet with victims, including refugees and the families of those affected by violations. A. Visit to Japan, 10-14 December 2006 51. In 2006 there were three main issues facing Japan with respect to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea: the abductions of Japanese nationals, the missile tests and the nuclear test carried out by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The abductions of Japanese nationals by that country are a major concern to the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. A number of Japanese nationals were abducted by agents of that country in past decades, particularly in the 1970s. In 2002, at the first summit meeting between the leaders of Japan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in Pyongyang, the latter admitted that his country had been involved in a number of abductions and apologized accordingly. The two sides adopted the Pyongyang Declaration of 2002, premised upon peaceful dialogue and resolution of outstanding disputes on the basis of international law, in particular to help settle the abductions issue. 52. A number of other meetings have followed, but various uncertainties remain. Currently, Japan claims that 17 individuals have been abducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Five of these individuals have now returned to Japan, but the other cases have not yet been solved, mainly because of intransigence on the part of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.13 Many sources in Japan, particularly the families of the abductees, believe that a number of abducted Japanese nationals are still alive in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The feeling is that they should be returned to Japan expeditiously. During the past year, other cases have come to light in regard to the nationals of several other countries abducted by agents of the country in question. 53. The issue of abductions has had enormous impact both nationally and internationally and is interrelated with the call for clarification and responsibility to be assumed by the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea. In addition to the work of the Special Rapporteur on the cases, 13 See pamphlet in a number of languages: “Abductions of Japanese Citizens by North Korea”, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo, April 2006. See further: International Crisis Group, “Japan and North Korea: Bones of Contention”, Asia Report No. 100, Seoul/Brussels, 27 June 2005.