A/HRC/7/20 page 18 B. Japan (15-19 January 2008) 61. The Special Rapporteur paid an official visit to Japan from 15 to 19 January 2008. The purpose of his visit was to assess the impact of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s human rights situation on Japan. Of particular importance was his meeting with the families of those who had been abducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and he sympathizes deeply with them in the pain and suffering caused by the human rights violations committed by the country in question. 62. There are two key challenges facing Japan in relation to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea: the denuclearization question and the abductions issue. The former is interlinked with steps towards denuclearizing the nuclear facilities in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. A key entry point for this process is the six-party talks, which seek to end the nuclear build-up in the country. Of particular relevance is the agreement on the “Second-Phase Actions for the Implementation of the Joint Statement” adopted by the six parties on 3 October 2007, bolstering earlier agreements on the issue, whereby (a) the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea agreed to disable core nuclear facilities of Yongbyon by the end of 2007; (b) it agreed also to provide a complete and correct declaration of all its nuclear programmes by the end of 2007; and (c) it reaffirmed its commitment to nuclear non-proliferation, including the commitment not to transfer its nuclear materials to others. While progress has been made in implementing the first element of the agreement, the implementation of the second and third elements is currently stalled, particularly requiring an effective response from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 63. With regard to the abductions issue, at the first summit between Japan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea held in 2002, the latter admitted that it had abducted Japanese citizens, apologized and agreed to prevent recurrence of such practices. However, a number of cases remain unresolved. Currently, there are 17 persons listed officially as abducted by the country. While five returned to Japan following the 2002 summit, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has been intransigent in regard to the other cases. It claims that out of the remaining 12 persons, 8 have died and that 4 never entered the country. Such claims remain unconvincing and unsubstantiated. This issue has been raised repeatedly at the United Nations by the Special Rapporteur as well as in the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. It can also be recalled that the Security Council in its resolution 1718 (2006) underlined the importance that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea respond to “other security and humanitarian concerns of the international community”. 64. At the end of 2007, the General Assembly adopted resolution 62/167 in which it reiterated its very serious concern “at unresolved questions of international concern relating to the abduction of foreigners in the form of enforced disappearance, which violates the human rights of the nationals of other sovereign countries” and strongly called upon the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea “urgently to resolve these questions, including through existing channels, in a transparent manner, including by ensuring the immediate return of abductees”. 65. A related avenue for dealing with these issues is through bilateral contacts under the six-party talks. The contacts between Japan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have, to date, led to two working group meetings to address possible normalization of relations,