The government may not deliver the 125,000 tons of food aid in the latter part of fiscal 2004 if Pyongyang fails in the next round of talks to produce concrete findings from its reinvestigation into the fate of 10 Japanese whom Tokyo believes were abducted to North Korea, the officials said.

The move comes after Japan and North Korea ended two days of working-level talks in Beijing on Sept. 26 without a breakthrough. During the talks, the North failed to provide new information on the status of the 10 Japanese.

Japan called the results inadequate and proposed that the next talks be held in October or at the latest by mid-November. North Korea promised to consider the proposed schedule.

The food aid is part of 250,000 tons of aid promised by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il during their May 22 summit in Pyongyang. Koizumi had also promised the North $10 million worth of medical aid.

Of that amount, Japan decided in August to provide 125,000 tons of food and $7 million worth of medical supplies through international agencies beginning in October.

The Japan Times Weekly: Oct. 9, 2004
(C) All rights reserved