Japan’s PM Abe asks C. European states for support in dispute with N. Korea over abductions

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has asked the leaders of four Central European countries for help in a long dispute with North Korea over the abductions of Japanese citizens decades ago, AP reported. Speaking in Bratislava, Slovakia, Abe said that he has asked for “understanding and support” on the issue. Abe met with the prime ministers of Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland, and Hungary’s finance minister on Thursday. The countries form the Visegrad Four group. Japan says North Korea abducted at least 17 Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s to train agents in Japanese language and culture, to spy on South Korea. Pyongyang has acknowledged abducting only 13 of them. The countries have no diplomatic relations. Abe stopped in Slovakia as part of his tour of Europe and Washington.