Tokyo: Japan said on Wednesday it would maintain sanctions on North Korea until the impoverished nation gives up nuclear weapons development, despite its willingness to resume disarmament talks.
''The most important thing is that North Korea abandon all nuclear development'' in accordance with UNSC demands, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki, the government's top spokesman.
''Until we know whether this will be carried out, we will calmly carry out what we have decided,'' he said, referring to sanctions imposed after the North's October 9 nuclear test.
North Korea announced earlier on Wednesday that it would return to the six-party talks on its nuclear disarmament. The talks have been stalled for a year.
Japanese officials welcomed the development on Wednesday, but they said it was far from assured that the renewal of the talks would lead to the goal of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.
''This is truly pleasing,'' said Foreign Minister Taro Aso in parliament.
''However, given that we still don't know what conditions are involved, it's not a matter where we can now be saying 'great, great, now we can celebrate.'''
Japan, which is within reach of North Korean missiles, has taken a hard-line against the reclusive regime since the nuclear test, banning all trade with Pyongyang, barring North Korean ships from its ports and taking other punitive measures.
North Korea for the past year has refused to resume the six-party talks, demanding that the US first lift financial sanctions aimed at the North's alleged money laundering and counterfeiting operations.
Shiozaki said that the financial measures were expected to be discussed during the six-party talks, but he gave no further details.
Japan's approach toward North Korea has hardened with the election in September of Shinzo Abe as prime minister. Abe, regarded as a hawk, has long been a champion of Japanese kidnapped by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 80s.
In 2002, Abe was a lead negotiator in winning the release of five of the victims. North Korea has admitted kidnapping eight others, but has said they are all dead.
Tokyo is still pressing for a full investigation into their cases and other suspected abductions.
''We impose our sanctions because North Korea has not sincerely responded to the issues of its missile launch and nuclear test as well as kidnapping,'' Abe told reporters Wednesday. ''Unless these issues are resolved, the sanctions will not be lifted.''
Human rights activists in Tokyo said the abduction issue is just one of several North Korean abuses that is being overshadowed by the nuclear standoff.
Comments
0 comment