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Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda left for Washington on Thursday evening to hold his first summit with U.S. President George W. Bush. The matter of the biggest concern for the two leaders will be to reconcile their views on striking North Korea from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Fukuda is expected to oppose striking North Korea off the list by year's end unless there is any progress in solving the issue of Japanese citizens abducted during the North¡¯s bizarre campaign in the 1970s and 80s, the Japanese press said. Fukuda will likely suggest that his country normalizes relations with the North after the North Korean nuclear and missile issues and the abduction problem have been settled. The U.S. will probably stick to its plan to strike the North from the list depending on progress in the disablement of nuclear facilities.
Prior to the summit, the U.S. had told Japan through various channels it understands Tokyo¡¯s worries, but striking the North off the terror list and the abduction issue are quite different matters. While Fukuda is in Washington, seven Japanese parliamentarians will also visit the U.S. capital to convey opposition.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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