Japanese radio programme for abductees jammed in North Korea

Japanese radio programme for abductees jammed in North Korea

Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo

Tokyo, 31 May: A Japanese group investigating missing Japanese believed to have been abducted by North Korea said Wednesday [31 May] it will change its radio frequency so as to prevent North Korea from jamming it.

The group, known as the Investigative Commission on Missing Japanese Probably Related to North Korea, broadcasts the programme “Shiokaze” twice a day on shortwave radio through a British company. It can be heard in North Korea, as well as in areas near the North Korean border in China and in the northern part of South Korea.

The group says the programme, which began 30 October last year, is aimed at rescuing the missing Japanese nationals by broadcasting information about them as well as messages from their families and relatives in Japan.

But unidentified radio waves have been jamming broadcasts since the beginning of May when they were aired in Korean, the group said.

The broadcasts, including those aired in Japanese, has become totally inaudible since 22 May, it said, adding Korean broadcasts have been blocked from being understood by North Koreans.

The group said it will give different radio frequencies to the programme.

The Japanese government has officially recognized 16 Japanese as having been abducted by North Korea, but the group believes that as many as 100 to 200 others have also been taken by the North.

(Source: Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 1318 gmt 31 May 06 via BBC Monitoring)