Japan Willing to Pay for IAEA Personnel to Conduct Nuclear Inspections in North Korea

It looks like Japan does not want to be left out of the upcoming negotiations over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs:

With North Korea now engaged with South Korea and getting ready for talks with the U.S., it looks like Japan doesn’t want to be left out.  Tokyo says that if the North agrees to allow inspections of its nuclear facilities it’s willing to foot the initial costs up to 300 million yen, or about 2.8 million dollars.  That’s according to Kyodo News Agency, citing multiple Japanese government officials.  Analysts say Japan is trying to make sure it has a voice in the process of North Korea’s denuclearization and related discussions.

The Kyodo report went on to say that Japan will continue to pressure North Korea into taking concrete action on the nuclear issue.  Pyongyang hasn’t allowed in nuclear inspectors from the IAEA since 2009.  Inspections of its main nuclear facility at Yongbyon would cost up to around 3.7 million dollars, so Japan’s proposed contribution would foot most of the bill.  [Arirang News]