Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Wednesday Tokyo will keep a close watch on the developments following Sony's decision to release the film "The Interview," which features an assassination plot against the North's leader Kim Jong-un. "Response to cyberattacks is a grave issue in terms of national security and risk management. Japan will continue to handle the matter with a sense of tension while coordinating with the international community," Kishida told reporters.
His remarks come after Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. said Tuesday it will release the comedy movie in a reversal of its decision to cancel the release. Sony last week said it will call off the film's release, which had been set for Christmas Day, after hackers threatened attacks on theaters showing the movie. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said it had determined the North Korean regime was responsible for the Sony hacking.
Kishida also said Sony's decision has no direct impact on ongoing Japan-North Korea talks on the abductions issue and the North's investigation into the fate of Japanese citizens abducted by Pyongyang agents in the 1970s and 1980s. "Japan will continue to urge North Korea to quickly and honestly report the results to Japan on its investigation into the fate of Japanese abductees," he added.
Source: KUNA