Japan appoints human rights envoy

TOKYO, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Japan has appointed career diplomat Fumiko Saiga as a special envoy on human rights, responsible for handling the cases of Japanese abducted by North Korea.

Saiga, 62, currently ambassador to Norway and Iceland, was appointed to the newly-created post because of her "rich knowledge and experience of human rights," A Foreign Ministry press release said Tuesday. She is also a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

The move follows the U.S. lead, after Jay Lefkowitz was appointed special envoy for North Korean human rights in August.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, one of the most visible supporters of the families of victims abducted in the 1970s and 80s, expressed his hope Tuesday that the new post would enhance international cooperation in resolving the issue.

Press reports also suggest that Japan is embarking upon its own human rights diplomacy to counter China's increasing influence in Asia.