PYONGYANG -- Even at the Koryo Hotel, one of the most luxurious accommodations for foreign visitors in Pyongyang, the energy shortage was apparent.

Chandeliers in coffee shops and restaurants hung dark, and dim hallways added to the gloomy atmosphere despite the flood of Japanese reporters who came to cover the landmark summit between Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on Tuesday.

Outside the hotel, many of the shops and restaurants were closed. At night, the town was almost pitch dark, and people walking the street became visible only when they were spotlighted by the occasional passing car.