Senior members of the ruling and opposition parties agreed Tuesday to submit to the Diet new legislative measures to provide financial support to Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea.
The proposed legislation will be deliberated at the House of Representatives Health, Labor and Welfare Committee on Wednesday, clear the committee later in the day and be enacted Dec. 4, party sources said.
The legislation, to take effect Jan. 1, will provide financial support to five abductees and their families so they can easily settle in Japan. A couple will receive 240,000 yen a month for up to five years while a single person will be given 170,000 yen a month.
The support measures will also include housing, job training and financial support for employers, as well as special provisions to allow the abductees to receive pensions and help their North Korean-born children receive education.