The government's decision to deport the man claiming to be the eldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il without officially confirming his identity is apparently a diplomatic consideration aimed at steadying Japan's troubled relations with Pyongyang.
The Foreign Ministry, which took the initiative by quickly deporting the man who identified himself as Kim Jong Nam, denied police the opportunity to conduct a full-scale interrogation, according to government sources.
The ministry was apparently concerned that a prolonged detention, if the man really proved to be the possible heir-apparent to the North Korean leader, would adversely affect Tokyo-Pyongyang ties. Normalization talks between the two countries have been suspended since October.