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Japanese PM ends talks with Kim Jong-il
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-il ended their talks on Saturday after an hour and a half discussion on normalizing relations and other bilateral issues. There was no immediate indication of the outcome. Kim and Koizumi ended their talks at 12:35 local time (0335 GMT) in the Daedonggang Guest House in the suburb of Pyongyang. It is the second summit between Koizumi and Kim since the two leaders met in Pyongyang in September 2002, when Koizumi launched a historic visit to the DPRK and signed the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang Declaration. Kiozumi will hold a press conference around 4"Koizumi, who arrived in Pyongyang for a one-day visit on Saturday morning, is expected to discuss with Kim on the implementation of the Pyongyang Declaration, the history, abduction and nuclear issues. The DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency said earlier that Koizumi' meeting with Kim was intended to "restore the relations of confidence between the two countries." Japan and the DPRK has not established diplomatic ties so far. Chronology: DPRK-Japan relations Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi paid a one-day visit to Pyongyang on Saturday and met Kim Jong-il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ( DPRK), to discuss bilateral issues. The following are major events in Japan-DPRK relations. Aug. 15, 1945 - Following Japan's defeat in the Second World War, the Korean peninsula ends its history as Japan's colony since 1910. Sept. 9, 1948 - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea declares its founding. Sept. 24-28, 1990 + A Japanese delegation visits the DPRK and delivers a letter from Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu. In the letter, Kaifu apologized to DPRK leader Kim Il-sung for Japan' s pre-World War II activities in Korea. November 1990 - The two countries begin preliminary talks on establishing diplomatic ties, but the talks broke down in 1992 when Japan accused the DPRK of kidnapping several Japanese citizens. Aug. 21-22, 1997 - Japan and the DPRK agree to resume talks on normalizing relations and to allow Japanese wives of DPRK citizens to visit Japan. Aug. 31, 1998 - Japan says a long-range missile launched in the DPRK flew over Japan. Pyongyang announced later that it launched a rocket with manmade satellite. Japan decided on Sept. 1 to postpone economic aid and halt talks over normalizing relations with the DPRK. April 2000 - Normalization talks revived in Pyongyang. Dec. 22, 2001 - Japan announces the sinking of a DPRK ship in the East China Sea after an exchange of fire with Japan's Coast Guard. Sept. 17, 2002 - Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi pays a historic visit to Pyongyang and meets with Kim Jong-il. Kim admitted that the DPRK kidnapped 13 Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s. The two leaders signed the Pyongyang Declaration and agreed to resume talks on establishing diplomatic relations. Oct. 15, 2002 - Five surviving abductees return to Japan, leaving behind their family members in the DPRK. Oct. 29-30, 2002 - Japan and the DPRK resume talks on establishing diplomatic relations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Major differences persisted over missing Japanese abductees and the nuclear issue. Nov. 14, 2002 + DPRK's Foreign Ministry condemns Japan for preventing five kidnapped Japanese, who went to Japan in October, from returning to the DPRK. Dec. 19, 2003 + The Japanese government announces a plan to start building a missile defense system in 2004, purportedly against the DPRK's Rodong mid-range missiles. Feb. 9, 2004 + Japan's lower house of parliament passes a bill on unilateral sanctions on other nations, which is believed to primarily target the DPRK. According to the bill, the Japanese government can restrict trade with and cut off remittance to certain countries. The DPRK said the bill threatens its development and national security. August 2003 and February 2004 - The United States, the DPRK, South Korea, Japan, China and Russia hold six-party talks in Beijing on the nuclear issues. May 12-14, 2004 - The first "working group" talks of the six- party talks held in Beijing. |
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