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By Jeong Nam-ku, Tokyo correspondent
The Japanese Red Cross is meeting with its North Korean counterpart in Beijing on Aug. 9 and 10 to discuss the return of its citizens’ remains from North Korea, Japanese news media reported on August 8.
The Asahi Shimbun said the meeting will be attended by three officials from each country’s Red Cross. The Japanese representatives regarded the encounter as an opportunity to trade views, with plans to hold main discussions the next time, including intergovernmental talks, the newspaper reported.
There are known to be as many 30,000 sets of remains in North Korea from Japanese soldiers who died during battles with the Soviets in the later stages of World War II, or starved while attempting to return home from Manchuria and other areas.
North Korea was aggressive in pushing for the meeting. Song Kil-ho, its ambassador for negotiations to normalize diplomatic relations, said on Aug. 4 that the country would allow any and all visits by family members collecting their loved ones’ remains. The meeting came about after the Japanese Red Cross sent a July 25 letter to its North Korean equivalent asking for its opinions. In June, Pyongyang provided information about a cemetery in North Korea to the Japanese media.
Tokyo reportedly hopes to take full advantage of the opportunity to resume discussions on the abduction of its citizens to North Korea.
　
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