The government on Thursday released the names of 15 Japanese women living in North Korea who next month will be allowed to visit their homeland for the first time in roughly four decades.
The visit, a significant development for the two nations considering they have no diplomatic relations, will last from Nov. 8 to 14, Chief Cabinet Secretary Kanezo Muraoka said. "The government welcomes the realization of the homecoming visit that has been a long-standing issue between Japan and North Korea," Muraoka said. "The government would like to receive the women warmly and hopes that they will have a happy and meaningful time during their stay."
The women will probably stay in their hometowns for a few days, and the Japanese Red Cross Society, which has cooperated with its North Korean counterpart to coordinate the visit, will hold welcome and farewell receptions, Muraoka said. A detailed itinerary for each of the women, who are between 55 and 84, is currently being drafted by the Japanese Red Cross Society in consultation with their relatives, according to Muraoka.