Japan said Thursday it will give 125,000 tons of food aid and some $7 million in medical supplies to North Korea via international organizations ahead of a bilateral meeting expected to be held next week.
The food aid is expected to be worth about $40 million. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi pledged 250,000 tons of food aid and $10 million worth of medical supplies during a May 22 summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang.
Tokyo hopes Pyongyang will in return swiftly present its latest report on 10 missing Japanese. The report is hoped to be presented during a working-level meeting the two countries plan to hold in Beijing next week.