DATE=12/6/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=JAPAN - NORTH KOREA AID (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-256867
BYLINE=TANYA CLARK
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=

VOICED AT:


INTRO: News reports in Japan say the Japanese 
government is planning to lift sanctions it 
imposed on North Korea last year. Tanya Clark 
reports from Tokyo, the two countries also appear 
likely to return to the negotiating table by the 
end of this year, to discuss normalizing their 
relations.  

TEXT: Reports in the Japanese media suggest that 
food aid to North Korea could resume as soon as 
Tuesday.  Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi told the 
Kyodo News agency Japan will also consider 
eventually lifting all sanctions against 
Pyongyang.
 
The penalties were imposed after North Korea 
launched a ballistic missile over Japan in August 
last year. The United States also imposed trade 
sanctions, but lifted them in September, after 
receiving assurances Pyongyang would not test 
another missile.

Tokyo's reported decision follows last week's 
meetings in Pyongyang between a Japanese 
parliamentary delegation and North Korean 
officials, including Kim Yon-sun, secretary of 
the ruling Korean Workers Party.  

The talks were not official.  But both 
governments appear to have agreed this non-
official meeting was their best hope for re-
launching talks. The gambit appears to have 
worked, with agreement reached to push both 
governments to restart negotiations as soon as 
possible. The mission returned to Japan last 
Friday and Prime Minister Obuchi immediately 
called on his Foreign Minister, Yohei Kono, to 
find ways for Japan to re-launch formal talks 
with North Korea.

The two nations could begin doing so before the 
end of this year.  But there are likely to be 
further problems.  

In 1992 - years before the missile launch -- 
discussions on formal diplomatic ties collapsed 
over Japanese fears North Korea was kidnapping 
Japanese citizens, to train spies. North Korea 
vehemently denies the charges.  But the two sides 
agreed, during last week's meeting, that the two 
countries' Red Cross bodies should begin 
discussions on the kidnapping allegations.

Meanwhile, North Korea is demanding an apology and 
reparations from Japan for its wartime occupation of 
the Korean peninsula, as prerequisites for normalizing 
ties.  To date, Japan has refused.


NEB/TC/FC/gm 



06-Dec-1999 03:11 AM EDT (06-Dec-1999 0811 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.