Japanese firms wanting

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TOKYO Henrik Lundqvist Black Jersey , July 7 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government on Monday said it had no problem with a potential visit by upper house lawmaker Antonio Inoki to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).


Following Japan's lifting some of its sanctions against Pyongyang, as the latter committed to reopening its investigations into its abductions of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s, the government here said it has no plans to prevent Inoki's or other lawmaker's trips.


"We do not intend to take specific steps against travel from Japan to the DPRK," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga was quoted as telling a regular press conference.


"We understand that Mr. Inoki and other lawmakers are visiting the DPRK for their own reasons. For our part, the government will closely watch how the DPRK will conduct the probe by its special investigation committee based on our bilateral accord," he said.


Inoki, a former professional wrestling star in Japan, now serves as a lawmaker for the Japan Restoration Party in the upper house of parliament. Inoki has expressed his desire to visit the DPRK along with other lawmakers on Wednesday.


Japan last week said it will ease restrictions on travel between the two countries and those on fund transfers to and cash carried into the DPRK. The lifting of sanctions will also see flag- bearing ships from the DPRK allowed to dock in Japanese ports, provided their purposes are "humanitarian" in nature. The Mangyongbong-92 passenger-cargo ferry will be prohibited from entering, however.


Inoki first entered politics in 1989, when he was elected into the upper house as a representative of his own Sports and Peace Party.


In 1991, following the outbreak of the Gulf War, Inoki personally organized a wrestling event in Iraq, aimed at freeing 41 captive Japanese nationals. Following a failure to get reelected into the upper house on numerous occasions, however, and being hit with a number of notable scandals, Inoki took a hiatus, returning to politics in 2013.


But having returned to Japan's upper house as a lawmaker in 2013, he was later suspended from the Diet for 30 days because of an unauthorized trip to the DPRK.


The former wrestler took the tour on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the armistice in the Korean War, and the tour marked Inoki's 27th visit to the DPRK.


Inoki explained the reason for the trip was to enhance communication between Japan and the DPRK, as the abductions issue had prompted Japan to close the door to dialogue with the DPRK.


Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told a parliamentary committee recently that a visit by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had been discussed and the premier himself has hinted at a possible trip if the abductions proceedings hit a decisive stage, a tacit nod to potentially thawing relations between Tokyo and Pyongyang.


Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited the DPRK in an official capacity in 2002 and 2004, in two separate bids to normalize ties between the two nations.


Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe became the first Japanese leader to visit Castro-ruled Cuba on Thursday, landing in Havana to hold talks with Cuban President Raul Castro on topics from boosting trade to curbing North Korea's nuclear program.


Abe's visit to the Caribbean island is one of a slew by western leaders since it began normalizing ties with the United States nearly two years ago. U.S. President Barack Obama visited Cuba in March.

　　Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) and his wife Akie Abe arrive at the Jose Marti International airport in Havana, Cuba. (AFPAdalberto Roque)

In an interview published in Cuba's Communist Party newspaper Granma on Thursday, Abe said he wanted to discuss trade, investment, cooperating on development and strengthening tourism exchange.


"I also want to exchange opinions with a Cuba that holds great influence among the non-aligned countries about the reform of the United Nations Security Council, nuclear disarmament, the situation in Asia and other topics involving the international community," he was quoted as saying.


Abe flew in to Cuba from New York, where he told the annual U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday that the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear program this year was "substantially more serious" than it was in the past.


Cuba is one of North Korea's few diplomatic allies and a fellow member of the non-aligned movement formed in 1961 by states wanting to avoid siding with the United States or Soviet Union.


Japan has a long history of trade with Cuba, importing seafood, tobacco and coffee while exporting machinery.


Abe said he hoped to expand that economic relationship in a new era heralded by Cuba's detente with the United States and business-friendly reforms.


"I believe firmly that Japanese companies can, as reliable partners, make a notable contribution to a Cuba that is updating its socio-economic model," Abe said


The reorganization of Cuba's debt towards Japan, signed this week, should help towards that goal, he said. Cuba's other long-term trading partners have already used debt forgiveness, swaps and new financing to try to win investment opportunities on the island.


Japanese firms wanting to gain a foothold in the country of 11 million people ahead of their competitors have descended there en masse in recent months, scouting for openings.


Trading house Mitsubishi Corp opened a Havana office in July, telling Reuters it was keen to establish some infrastructure projects in Cuba which the Japanese government might help finance..


"I want to cooperate with Cuba, joining forces as much in the public sector as in the private one," Abe said.

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