Staff writer
Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi showed readiness to positively respond to an international appeal to provide food assistance to North Korea, but said that domestic consensus is essential to make a decision.
"Japan needs to respond to the U.N. appeal from a humanitarian viewpoint. ... But various views exist on whether to extend aid. Therefore, I need to carefully listen to such voices," Obuchi said. The U.N. Department of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Food Program have issued an appeal to extend food assistance to famine-threatened North Korea.