About IJNK
Examining Japan-North Korea relations through a human-centered lens.
Who we are
About Us
The Institute of Japan-North Korea Relations (IJNK) is an independent, research-driven institute established in 2025. Examining Japan-DPRK relations through a human-centered lens, we focus on under-examined issues shaped by this relation, with particular focus on the "Paradise on Earth" repatriation campaign that sent many Zainichi Koreans and Japanese nationals to North Korea, and its long-term human rights consequences. IJNK aims to help people understand Japan-North Korea relations by producing in-depth, accessible research and supporting truth-finding where records and public knowledge remain limited. Drawing on under-leveraged aspects of Japan-North Korea relations, we also aim to bring fresh and more diverse perspectives to the wider study of North Korea. We share our work through creative advocacy, including high-quality documentaries and films, to bring these stories and issues to a wider public.
Our focus
Why Japan-North Korea Relations?
Japan-North Korea relations matter because they offer a practical, under-used pathway for understanding and addressing complex North Korean issues, including human rights. The Japanese abductions issue is the only human rights case that North Korea has publicly acknowledged, and it created a rare diplomatic space for follow-on efforts such as the 2014 Stockholm Agreement, which aimed to investigate and resolve outstanding human rights concerns. Although the agreement effectively collapsed in 2016 and has remained inactive since then, the fact that this bilateral framework once existed shows that dialogue is possible and could be restarted under the right conditions. Japan also has resources and connections that no other countries have, including a large Zainichi Korean community and the long-standing presence of Chongryon-affiliated networks and infrastructures throughout Japan, which remain highly relevant to how North Korea engages with Japan. Looking closely at these Japan-specific dynamics can shed light on North Korea in ways that broader approaches often overlook.
What we do
Our Work
IJNK's work is built around three pillars that move from evidence to impact. We start by producing rigorous research, then translate key findings into targeted advocacy for relevant stakeholders, and expand reach through creative formats such as documentaries and films. Each pillar has a distinct role, but they are designed to reinforce one another.
Research
IJNK conducts academically rigorous research on Japan-DPRK relations, with a particular focus on under-examined human rights issues, such as the "Paradise on Earth" repatriation campaign and its long-term consequences. Our research is evidence-led and grounded in careful use of primary materials, existing scholarship, and structured analysis. We publish research outputs in formats that remain readable and usable beyond academia, including reports, briefs, and public-facing commentary.
Targeted Advocacy
IJNK translates research findings into stakeholder-specific advocacy designed to inform real decision-making processes. We develop concise, practical advocacy packages that clarify what is known, what remains unclear, and what actions are realistically available to relevant actors such as policymakers, civil society groups, educators, and media. This pillar focuses on precision and impact, rather than broad and ambiguous messaging.
Creative Advocacy
IJNK uses creative formats to expand public understanding and extend the reach of research-based findings. This includes documentaries and films, as well as other forms of narrative, visual, and experience-based storytelling that can communicate complex issues through intuitive, human experience. Wider public awareness matters because it shapes what policymakers and institutions choose to prioritize.