The government, outraged by North Korea's launch Monday of a ballistic missile over Japanese territory, announced a major policy shift toward Pyongyang on Tuesday, suspending food aid and assistance for light-water nuclear reactor projects as well as its offer to resume normalization talks with North Korea.
The decision came in an afternoon meeting between Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and other key Cabinet members -- including Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiromu Nonaka, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura and Defense Agency chief Fukushiro Nukaga.
North Korea on Monday test-fired a newly developed missile capable of striking anywhere in Japan. It is believed to have passed over Japan before landing in the open seas off the Sanriku coast of northeastern Japan. Denouncing Pyongyang's action, the government called for a review of Japan's overall policy to take a firm stance against North Korea.