Japan begins loading rice for shipment to N. Korea

Japan begins loading rice for shipment to N. Korea

OSAKA, Japan - The first batch of 500,000 tons of rice is being loaded into the 16,104-ton North Korean-registered freighter Dok Chon at the port of Osaka on Jan. 18 for shipment in aid to North Korea to help alleviate food shortages there.

Families of missing protest LDP decision on food aid

Families of missing protest LDP decision on food aid

TOKYO, Japan - Members of the families of Japanese nationals allegedly abducted by North Korean agents stage a demonstration near the headquarters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo on Oct. 4 to protest a decision by an LDP panel to approve a government plan to send 500,000 tons of rice in food aid to the country.

LDP panel approves 500,000 tons of rice for N. Korea

LDP panel approves 500,000 tons of rice for N. Korea

TOKYO, Japan - Members of the Foreign Affairs Division of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), in a meeting Oct. 4, endorse a government plan to send 500,000 tons of rice to North Korea to alleviate the country's food shortage. Seated 2nd from right is Foreign Minister Yohei Kono.

Dispute over dumped waste on Teshima Island settled

Dispute over dumped waste on Teshima Island settled

TAKAMATSU, Japan - Kagawa Gov. Takeki Manabe (2nd from R) signs an agreement with residents of Teshima Island in Kagawa Prefecture on June 6 to settle a long-standing dispute over 500,000 tons of industrial waste that had been illegally dumped on the island. The group of people on the left represented the residents. Under the accord, proposed by a central government arbitration commission, the prefecture will set up a disposal facility on a nearby island by early 2003 and remove all the waste by the end of March 2017.