In relation to this, former vice-head of the Liberal Democratic Party Yamazaki Taku, a close friend of Koizumi, came back from meeting with North Korean figures in the Chinese city of Dalian, where they secretly worked out an agreement on, among other things, measures for the resumption of friendly ties.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (right) shakes hands with soldiers just ahead of their departure to Iraq at a base in Hokkaido on Saturday.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun, too, reported that Koizumi instructed Foreign Ministry official Tanaka Hiroshi, who talked with North Korean officials in Beijing on May 4~5, to prepare the way for the prime minster's visit.

A government official said, "North Korea is demanding both face and benefits," and reported that Koizumi approved plans for the government to use medical supplies, food and other forms of humanitarian aid to the North as negotiating cards if the remaining family members are allowed to return to Japan.

The Asahi Shimbun reported that during the Beijing talks, Japan offered to resume humanitarian aid if a firm promise was made on allowing eight family members of Japanese kidnap victims to return to Japan.

The Asahi added that the North promised to consider the Japanese offer.

In particular, it has been reported that during the Beijing talks, North Korea -- with the Ryongchon Disaster in mind -- asked that its "humanitarian problem be given consideration."

Concerning aid to the North, the Japanese government decided to come out in favor of humanitarian aid -- separate from economic cooperation -- to the North and consider providing additional aid to help with the Ryongchon disaster in accordance with the "Pyongyang Declaration."

There have been no changes, however, in the government's position that full-scale economic aid would be provided only after diplomatic ties have been normalized, as agreed to in the "Pyongyang Declaration."

The two sides agreed to meet again in the middle of the week to work out a possible solution to the kidnap victims' families issue. During the talks, in addition to Koizumi's visit and humanitarian aid, measures concerning those 10 kidnap victims who the North said were dead or missing and other individuals thought to be kidnapped to the North will also be discussed.

NHK reported that the Japanese government said Japan and North Korea are currently discussing a plan that would call for a high-ranking Japanese official to be sent to Pyongyang to meet with the family members if the North promises to allow those family members to return to Japan.

(englishnews@chosun.com )