Japan to lift sanctions against North Korea
It is being reported that Japan will drop some of its economic sanctions against North Korea after Pyongyang agreed to look into the abductee issue again:
Japan’s top government spokesman, Nobutaka Machimura, voiced optimism over Pyongyang’s agreement to re-examine the issue.
“With these promises… the process of resolving the abduction issue has resumed,” he said.
“The government would like to have active talks with North Korea in order to achieve a comprehensive solution to the issues of the abductions and its nuclear and missile programmes.”
In exchange, Japan will loosen restrictions on the movement of people between the two countries, lift a ban on charter flights and allowing certain ships access to Japanese ports.
Japan imposed sanctions on North Korea after it conducted a nuclear test in October 2006 and has renewed them every six months since then.
