Japan to lessen N Korea sanctions after kidnapping probe starts
Iran Press TV
Thu May 29, 2014 2:49PM GMT
Tokyo says it would ease sanctions against North Korea after Pyongyang had agreed to reinvestigate the kidnapping of Japanese nationals to train spies.
A Japanese official said on Thursday that Tokyo agreed to ease some sanctions leveled against North Korea over the years, after the North promised to make a thorough investigation into the abduction of 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to train spies in Japanese language and customs.
"Japan has decided to lift special restrictions on travel by people, reporting requirements on remittances...as well as the ban on North Korea-registered vessels entering Japanese ports for humanitarian purposes," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.
The statement came after three days of talks between the two sides in Sweden.
Pyongyang also confirmed the shift in relations between the two sides, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.
"The Japanese side re-clarified its will to settle its inglorious past, solve the pending issues and normalize the relations together with the DPRK (North Korean) side," the report said.
"The DPRK side agreed to simultaneously conduct a comprehensive survey of all Japanese including the remains and graves of Japanese, remaining Japanese, Japanese spouses, victims of abduction and missing persons," KCNA added.
Former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il admitted in 2002 of abducting the Japanese nationals, and has since returned five kidnap victims and their spouses and children.
Pyongyang has insisted that the eight others are dead.
GMA/AB
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