Statement by Foreign Minister Koumura on Sending of Officials to North Korea for the Disablement of Nuclear Facilities

November 26, 2007

　As a member of the Six-Party Talks, the Government of Japan will send Ms. Tomiko Ichikawa, Director, Non-Proliferation, Science and Nuclear Energy Division, Disarmament, along with another official, to North Korea from November 27 (Tue) to November 29 (Thu).
　The officials will observe disablement activities on three nuclear facilities at Yongbyon, based on the “Second Phase Actions for the Implementation of the Joint Statement.” (N.B. The three facilities are: 5 Megawatt Experimental Reactor; the Reprocessing Plant, and; the Nuclear Fuel Rod Fabrication Plant.)
　This decision is aimed at actively engaging in efforts to disable the aforementioned nuclear facilities, which are being taken as a step to achieve denuclearization of North Korea.
　Japan will continue to make its efforts with the United States and countries concerned to ensure that North Korea steadily implements its denuclearization measures based on the document agreed at the Six-Party Talks this October, and that progress will be made towards the complete implementation of the Joint Statement adopted at the Six-Party Talks of September 2005.

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