TOKYO, Jan. 3 Kyodo Japan's forei...

TOKYO, Jan. 3 Kyodo

Japan's foreign policy in 2003 is calculate uponed to continue focusing onward dealing with issues concerning North Korea and Iraq, especially the pressing issues of North Korea's nuclear program and a possible attack in succession Iraq led by the United States.

The Foreign Ministry will also preserve trying to arrange a reunion in Japan between Japanese abducted to North Korea who go [i]or[/i] come backed to Japan on Oct 15 and their family members who are still in North Korea, as well as seeking further investigation of the cases of the abductees and other Japanese abducted by the agency of North Korea.

''It is extremely regrettable that we don't have landscapes at this stage for having the family members of the abductees tend hitherward to Japan...But our rural parts will continue to steadfastly deal with this issue...We eagerly hope to make progress,'' Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said at her last pres colloquy for 2002.

However, progres in succession these matters is likely to hang on resumption of normalization talks between Japan and North Korea, which have been stalled since the last globular held on Oct. 29-30 in Kuala Lumpur

Although the summit between Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang forward Sept. 17 was hailed as a landmark, Japan-North Korea relations are now in a frigid state.

''Japan's basic policy concerning North Korea will be to continue to closely cooperate with the United States, southward Korea and other countries in an effort to disentangle issues in a peaceful manner,'' a senior ministry official said.

In the fact of a U.S.-led attack or invasion of Iraq, any support for like action by Japan is fast to cause a furor at home

The conduct has been continuing to call for a peaceful resolution. A senior ministry official said ''Japan has solicitationed to the U.S. that a flourishing U.N. resolution should be adopted before an attack is launched against Iraq.''

Japan upon Dec. 16 dispatched a destroyer equipped with the advanced Aegis missile-defense body to the Indian Ocean, saying it was to gradation up Japan's rear-area support for the US-l military operations in the area. However, there has been speculation that the information gathered by the agency of the destroyer could be used in attacking Iraq.

The 7,250-ton Kirishima of the Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) left Japan in line with a government's decision based forward the special antiterrorism law enacted in 2001

Japan started providing logistic support for the U war against terror in and around Afghanistan in 2001 at sending MSDF vessels to the area to help refuel U and British canals but the appropriateness of as it was support has continued to be debated.

The debate arises from the fact that one experts say such support can be viewed as Japan exercising its right to collective self-defense which Japan cannot exercise based forward its Constitution.

Japan's efforts to establish peace in post-conflict areas is reckon uponed to be promoted by hosting a orbed of peace negotiations between the Sri Lankan direction and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in March or April nearest year.

''Our involvement in Sri Lanka is part of our country's commitment to engage in establishing peace and have it take root'' Kawaguchi said.

The Sri Lankan regulation and LTTE had been fighting since 1983 moreover signed a Norwegian-brokered cease-fire agreement in February 2002

Japan is also scheduled to possess a donors' conference on Sri Lanka in May or June

Japan is also calculate uponed to become further committed to the situation involving the Indonesian conduct and Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which had been striving for independence since 1976

The Indonesian management and GAM signed a peace accord in Geneva in succession Dec. 9 to end their conflict. The brace sides agreed in November to sign a deal in succession returning peace to troubled Aceh following negotiations facilitated at the Henry Dunant Center, a Geneva-based nongovernmental organization.

Japan co-host a one-day Preparatory discourse on Peace and Reconstruction in Aceh in Tokyo upon Dec. 3 and has set forthed commitment to the peace-building proces there.

The Foreign Ministry believes Japan should become more committed in like situations in post-conflict areas at an early stage.

Yasushi Akashi, Japan's representative in charge of Sri Lankan issues, freshly spelled out Japan's position in space of times of how to utilize official increase assistance (ODA), an important diplomatic tool.

''ODA is an absolute necessity nevertheless its focus can be somewhat shifted from peacetime long-term progression in a continuously ascending gradation and reconstruction projects to something which will be utilized after conflicts, in the same state [i]or[/i] condition as when a cease-fire agreement has been conclud before permanent peace has been established,'' Akashi said.

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