Japanese PM's DPRK Visit, an 'Ice-breaking' Tour

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, September 18, 2002

Japanese PM's DPRK Visit, an 'Ice-breaking' Tour

Kim Jong Il, top leader of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi concluded their talks Tuesday afternoon in Pyongyang.

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China hopes that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will bear fruit with efforts from both sides.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kong Quan made the remarks Tuesday at a regular press conference.

Kong said as a close neighbor of the DPRK and Japan, China has always supported the improvement of relations between the two eastAsian countries, and their final normalization of ties, which willbe "conducive to the peace, stability and development in east Asia."

In a declaration issued at the end of the summit, the two sides agreed to resume normalization negotiations in October.

Japan also acknowledged its colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945 and expressed "deep remorse" for it in the declaration.

Japan will deal with compensation to the DPRK in the form of co-operation and economic assistance, and the DPRK pledged to continue freezing missile tests after 2003, the declaration said.

The two sides agreed to promote dialogue among the countries concerned on the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, it added.

The DPRK confirmed the whereabouts of 11 missing Japanese whom Japan claimed were abducted during the 1970s and 1980s.

During his talks with Koizumi, Kim, who is chairman of the DPRK National Defence Commission, said that four of the 11 are still alive.

Kim pledged that the four who are still alive will meet their family members and return to Japan temporarily or forever.

Kim said the Japanese were abducted by DPRK special institutions and said those responsible for the abductions were punished.

'Ice-breaking' Tour

For the two countries yet with no formal diplomatic relations, the visit has at its behind special historical backgrounds and reality considerations. First is positive attitude from the side of DPRK. Since July DPRK showed signs of economic reforms and at the same time speeded up diplomatic activities. Its reconciliation with ROK, touch with the US and visit to Russia were all regarded as successes. While ROK's clear attitude toward DPRK-Japan ties normalization also cast positive impact on Japan.

Second, Kim Jong Il's Russia visit also stirred Japan up. The DPRK leader talked much with Putin on pushing forward economic cooperation between the two countries, especially in the far-east region of Russia, with railway linking two Koreas and Siberian railway being the most important projects. Russia obviously showed strong interests in northeast Asia economic cooperation and hoped to join in its construction.

For Japan, this is a piece of news both good and bad. For northeast Asia economic circle is in line with Japan's wish and interests, but it wants to lead the construction by itself rather than other countries. This also prompted Japan to speed up cooperation with DPRK and show an active attitude towards the northeast Asia construction. In fact, Koizumi has put economic cooperation at the first place of his visit, hoping to solve problems through the way of "economic cooperation".

The US's attitude is also quite important. Although the Japanese PM's visit to DPRK, a country labeled as the "Axis of Evil" by George. W. Bush, seems not so conformed with the US, this is done under US tacit consent, otherwise Japan may not have gone so far.

More important is this is also in line with US interests. To guarantee stability in the Asia-pacific region, especially the northeast Asia is a question concerning the "national security" of the US. What's more, the US doesn't expect any crisis in Asia when making preparation to strike Iraq. And the US brain tanks also suggested the government to conduct talks with DPRK and loose its policy.

As a result the Japanese PM made a brave step, which is also an effort to step out from its own political dilemma. Under unfavorable domestic political and economic situations Koizumi's visit may win some support for him. Especially, his idea of replacing confrontations with dialogues has been widely accepted, which marked a rare progress made by the Japanese government on question of Korean Peninsula. Meanwhile, Japan's gesture to reconcile with DPRK was also welcomed by Northeast Asian countries, this can also be viewed as a diplomatic gains by Koizumi.

By PD Online Staff Li Heng

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