Japan Shows Some Concern over Clinton's N. Korea Visit

Tokyo, Aug. 4 (Jiji Press)--Japanese government officials on
Tuesday showed some concerns over former U.S. President Bill Clinton's surprise visit to North Korea.

The main purpose of his visit is to secure the release of U.S.
journalists held by Pyongyang, a senior Japanese government officials said.
But some officials are concerned that the resumption of six-party
talks on North Korea's nuclear programs might be delayed further if
Clinton's visit opens the way for bilateral talks between Washington and
Pyongyang.
Japan seeks to restart the six-party talks as it hopes to use the
forum as a lever to resolve a longstanding dispute over Japanese citizens
kidnapped by North Korean agents.
At a news conference, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kazuo Kodama said
Tokyo does not oppose any bilateral talks between the United States and
North Korea.
There have been instances in which their bilateral talks helped the
six-way conference reopen, Kodama said.
Japan has signaled its readiness to let the United States and North
Korea hold two-way dialogue in hopes of reviving the six-country forum from
which North Korea has withdrawn.
But the stance is based on the assumption that such bilateral
dialogue would contribute to an end to the nuclear stalemate.
The United States will only play into the hands of North Korea
unless it separates the nuclear and missile issues from the release of the
journalists, a senior Foreign Ministry official said.
END