A group of about 130 Japanese, led by former Okinawa Gov. Masahide Ota, left Japan on Wednesday to visit North Korea in an effort to defuse regional tensions.
The mission will be in North Korea until Sunday to promote grassroots exchanges and mutual understanding to help ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula -- a step considered necessary to also reduce the U.S. military presence in Okinawa Prefecture.
Group members said they expect the North Korean side to send some kind of message to Japan, particularly with the historic summit between South Korean President Kim Dae Jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il scheduled for mid-June.
While Ota is scheduled to meet with leading North Koreans, the mission is planning to adopt a joint appeal with ordinary North Koreans to promote the normalization of diplomatic ties between Japan and North Korea and the peaceful reunification of the two Koreas, members said.