Abe membangun kariernya dengan mengkampanyekan masalah ini, yang melambungkan emosi terdalam di Jepang. Pemerintahnya menolak kecaman-kecaman bahwa Jepang mengasingkan dirinya dalam perundingan-perundingan enam pihak, termasuk dari sekutu terbesar Tokyo, AS.
Abe built his career campaigning on the issue, which rouses deep emotion in Japan. His government has rejected criticism that Japan was isolating itself within the six-way talks which include Tokyo's main ally, the United States.