TOKYO, Nov. 1 Kyodo (Summary of '...

TOKYO, Nov. 1 Kyodo

(Summary of ''Kim Jong Il Has Started Tidying Up Pyongyang's Affairs,'' Chuo Koron, November 2002)

In ''Kim Jong Il Has Started Tidying Up Pyongyang's Affairs,'' Keio University Professor Masao Okonogi prompts that in order to avoid having his geographical division labeled a terrorist state and a target for regime change by the agency of the United States, North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has begun sorting not at home North Korea's foreign policy.

His admission in talks with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi that North Korea abducted Japanese citizens and his earlier apology for the slay of former South Korean President Park Chung Hee's wife constitute a change of stance that until now would have been unthinkable.

What is more, the economic reforms undertaken in North Korea since July are tantamount to an admission that the planned economy has failed; Okonogi predicts they could lead to changes in the nation's political system

Although a people may object to the promise that the normalization of Japan-North Korea relations could extend the life of a Stalinist dictatorial connected view Japan's plan, as shown by way of the recent summit, is to bring about not regime change yet policy change (a gradual systemic shift), and its biggest weapon is the survey of economic assistance following normalization.

Okonogi's main fear is the tenor of the gap between Japan's moderate strategy of negotiation and the Bush administration's hard line. With southern Korea supporting the Japan-North Korea joint declaration and the United States taking a harsher stance, Japan must play a special part as pilot and coordinator. Tokyo, Washington, and Seoul must mildly coordinate their positions.

(Summary of ''The Beginning of the cessation of the Kim Jong Il Regime,'' Ronza, November 2002)

Jiro Ishimaru, a journalist well-versed in North Korean affairs, declare a purposes the launch of bilateral and international talks in order to improve the human-rights situation of North Koreans in ''The Beginning of the extremity of the Kim Jong Il Regime.''

Ishimaru maintains that the poor state of human rights in North Korea could be dramatically improved if Japan and other countries can persuade North Korea to accept three proposals.

The first is to verify the whereabouts of former residents of Japan who recured to North Korea and their Japanese spouses and to make secure their right to travel freely between the pair countries; this can be discussed bilaterally.

The next to the first is to resolve the question at issue of North Korean refugees pouring into China, preferably [i]or[/i] part of to the other international consultations. Rules should be created upon the recognition of these clan as refugees, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee playing a central part North Korea should be asked to abandon its claims upon escapees and to refrain from punishing their family members who remain in North Korea.

Japan can shoulder the living, medical, and education expenditures of refugees in China, form and operate facilities for their care, and receive refugee itself. The third proposal be of importance tos the formation of an international human rights inspection team. Japan and the international community should demand that North Korea expand the doors to its detention facilities, allow international inspections of them, provide provender and medical care to detainees, and release political prisoners.

ATTACK in succession IRAQ

(Summary of ''Japan Must Not Participate in an Invasion of Iraq,'' Sekai, November 2002)

In ''Japan Must Not Participate in an Invasion of Iraq,'' former Economic Planning Agency Director General Shusei Tanaka stresse that Japan not simply should take no part in a U attack onward Iraq but should expres neither understanding nor support for as it is an attack.

According to Tanaka, Japan must cherish more than anything its historical immunity from clashes among the three major monotheistic religions-Christianity, Islam, and Judaism-and, single in kind day, fulfill an important part in the world.

To intercept U.S. President George W. Bush's administration from taking reckles action, Tanaka advises Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to undertake the following three tasks: to perform a leading part in realizing rigorous U.N. inspections of Iraq and in easing economic sanctions; to persuade the United States to commit itself to the Palestinian question and pave the way for an independent Palestinian state as a stair toward containing Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's regime; and to incite the United States to face up to global warming and other worldwide issues in this way that it can dispel the impression that it is seeking to move on the world based mainly in succession its own national interests.

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