Tokyo will never provide economic aid to North Korea unless Pyongyang safely returns all the Japanese nationals its agents abducted to North Korea, the Cabinet minister in charge of the issue said in a written statement Wednesday released after a report surfaced suggesting some victims may still be alive.
Keiji Furuya released the statement amid concern that Japan may strike diplomatic compromises with the North to resolve the long-standing abduction issue, long a focus of public attention and sympathy.
But Fuji TV reported earlier in the day that North Korean officials, during unofficial talks with Japan in October and November, indicated it may return some abductees in exchange for economic assistance from Tokyo.
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