Japan sets terms for N Korean deal

Japan's allies agree on the need for hard bargaining

Japan's foreign minister says that Tokyo will not normalise relations with North Korea unless the Stalinist state scraps an alleged nuclear weapons programme.

Yoriko Kawaguchi, in an interview with Reuters news agency, said Japan would press North Korea to dismantle the programme "promptly and also in a verifiable manner".

Unless they do it quickly, we are saying that our talks will not move forward

Yoriko Kawaguchi

Japan's hopes for improved ties with North Korea received a setback when the United States said North Korea had admitted to developing a secret nuclear weapons programme in contravention of a 1994 accord.

North Korea has not admitted to the charge, but it has issued a statement saying it was "entitled to possess not only nuclear weapon but any type of weapon more powerful than that so as to defend its sovereignty".

Ms Kawaguchi was speaking as Japanese diplomats headed for the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, for talks with North Korean officials on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Her comments echoed a statement made by Japan, South Korea and the US at a regional summit at the weekend that Pyongyang should abandon its nuclear ambitions.

But North Korea holds a powerful bargaining chip in the talks with Japan.

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It is yet to agree to the permanent repatriation of five Japanese nationals who were kidnapped by North Korea a quarter of a century ago, and are currently back home for a visit.

The five had been due to return to North Korea on Monday but Tokyo now wants them to stay in Japan indefinitely and for their children, still stranded in the hermit state, to join them.

Ms Kawaguchi acknowledged that talking tough with North Korea carried risks.

"We do not know what sort of response North Korea will give, and that's a great uncertainty."

But if North Korea does take action to enable normalised relations with Japan, that carries with it the prospect of much needed economic aid from Tokyo.

Ms Kawaguchi said the abduction issue remained - in tandem with the nuclear question - a top priority in the talks.

In addition to securing the repatriation of the five surviving Japanese kidnap victims and their families, Tokyo also wants to find out more about at least eight abducted Japanese whom Pyongyang says are now dead.

"What they (North Korea) have disclosed is not enough to make us feel they are telling the truth," Ms Kawaguchi said.

Suspicions

Pyongyang says the eight died from suicide, illness or accident, but many Japanese suspect that they are either still alive or died through foul play.

According to a local news report on Sunday, Tokyo will also demand compensation for the abductions and for damage caused to Japanese coast guard vessels in a gun battle last year with what it says was a North Korean spy ship.

North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-il, admitted to and apologised for the abductions during an historic summit with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on 17 September.