Japan is considering providing economic and food assistance to North Korea even before normalizing bilateral relations, in the event the reclusive country agrees to abandon its suspected nuclear development program, according to government sources.
Although Japan and North Korea agreed in a summit last September that aid would only be provided after the establishment of diplomatic ties, the government has decided to rethink the matter in light of upcoming multilateral talks on the North Korean nuclear standoff.
The United States, North Korea and China are to hold multilateral talks this week in Beijing to discuss the impasse. Other countries, including Japan, South Korea and Russia, may join the discussions later.