Japan Will Claim Against North Korea for Compensation on Maneuvering Ship

For an problem on a rice support to North Korea, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said in an interview with Fuji TV on September 22, “We doubt whether we must disregard the humanitarian problem without doing anything. We will discuss with an international society and Red Cross Society” He suggested that Japan could provide food even before forming a friendly relation with North Korea.

In a telephone talks with US president George W. Bush on September 19, He said that he advised the president Bush to resume the talks with North Korea excluding the North Korea from countries of `evil axis`.

Besides, According to The Daily Yomiuri on September 21, Japanese government decided to claim against North Korea for compensation in terms of Japanese kidnapping and maneuvering ship incident of North Korea in the East China Sea at the end of December.

The compensation amounts will be calculated based on the patrol boat repair expense of Japanese Maritime Safety Agency attacked by the maneuvering ship of North Korea, and mental pain of kidnapped people’s family.

The Deputy Minister of Council of Ministers said in the interview with NHK TV on

September 22, “We will review the national compensation considering the international law because the kidnapping problem of Japanese people surely broke the national law of Japan. However, he said that the discussion of the relation normalization with North Korea will be firmly resumed without any change next month.

Japanese government will have the security assurance conference of North Korea-Japan in Tokyo or Pyeongyang during next month and will start the preliminary adjustment with North Korea. In the security assurance conference, the Japanese people kidnapping, nuclear & missile and maneuvering ship of North Korea will be discussed.

Young-Ee Lee yes202@donga.com