Japan is considering providing economic and food assistance to North Korea even before normalizing bilateral relations, in the event the reclusive country agrees to abandon its suspected nuclear development program, according to government sources.

Although Japan and North Korea agreed in a summit last September that aid would only be provided after the establishment of diplomatic ties, the government has decided to rethink the matter in light of upcoming multilateral talks on the North Korean nuclear standoff.

The United States, North Korea and China are to hold multilateral talks this week in Beijing to discuss the impasse. Other countries, including Japan, South Korea and Russia, may join the discussions later.

If Japan and other countries can convince North Korea to halt its development of weapons of mass destruction and accept full international arms inspections, they may follow with a comprehensive pledge of energy and other forms of aid, the sources said.

Under such circumstances, Japan will have to foot its share of the cost even if the deal is reached before it can normalize its relationship with North Korea, according to the sources.

But any such move, most likely to come at a time when there is little -- if any -- progress on the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korean agents, is certain to prompt criticism and protests from the families and supporters of the missing Japanese.

To alleviate this concern, the government is hoping to restart negotiations with North Korea on normalizing ties to address the abduction issue and other bilateral matters simultaneously with the multilateral talks, the sources said.

Japan is keen to make progress in its efforts to have North Korea send to Japan the families of five Japanese nationals who were kidnapped in the late 1970s and returned to Japan last October.

But relatives of the victims are complaining about the prospect of North Korea being given aid, saying the government has betrayed them.

Sakie Yokota, whose daughter Megumi was abducted in 1977 at the age of 13, said, "Prime Minister (Junichiro) Koizumi promised us that he would not provide support (to North Korea) unless the abduction issue is resolved, so we want him to keep his word."

Toru Hasuike, brother of Kaoru, one of the five kidnap victims who returned last October, described the Japanese government as "weak-kneed" and complained that it is taking the issue of the kidnappings too lightly.

"Do they think it's a case of tens of thousands of people killed by nuclear weapons verses a few dozen people who have been abducted?" Hasuike said.

A government source said that if the multilateral talks can produce a new arrangement that would replace a 1994 U.S.-North Korean nuclear accord, Japan has "no choice but to contribute even before normalizing ties."

The pact, known as the Agreed Framework, requires North Korea to freeze and dismantle its nuclear facilities, which the U.S. suspected were being used to develop nuclear arms, in exchange for the construction of two light-water nuclear reactors and an interim supply of fuel oil.

Another source said, "If we can stop nuclear development, which is a vital issue for Japan, we will consider food and other aid separately from the full assistance that would come after the normalization."

The U.S. has said it is prepared to provide energy and food assistance to North Korea but on condition it promises to give up its nuclear development program and takes specific and verifiable action in that direction.