Japan is reconsidering its commitment to building light-water nuclear reactors in North Korea now that Pyongyang has reactivated nuclear facilities linked to its weapons development program in violation of a 1994 accord.
According to the United States, Pyongyang has restarted its graphite-moderated nuclear reactor at Yongbyon, which could be used to produce weapons-grade plutonium.
Before that provocation, Japan had been hesitant to pull out of the reactor project, as such a move would close a key dialogue channel with Pyongyang and hinder Japan's pursuit of normalizing diplomatic ties with the reclusive state.