North Korea needs to follow through on its recent pledge to reinvestigate the fate of Japanese nationals kidnapped by agents of the reclusive state decades ago now that Japan has lifted some of its economic sanctions on the country.

Pyongyang says it has launched a special panel with the power to investigate all of its state organs. It now has to match its words with a credible and sincere probe into the issue that has, for more than a decade, stood in the way of normalizing bilateral ties between Tokyo and Pyongyang.

The government on Friday took steps to lift the restrictions on travel between Japan and North Korea, halt the reporting requirements on cash remittances to North Korea, and permit the entry of some North Korean ships into Japanese ports for humanitarian purposes in response to the moves by Pyongyang to set up the investigation committee.