Tokyo eases sanctions as North Korea agrees to probe cases of abducted Japanese

Japan said yesterday it would ease sanctions against North Korea after the secretive state agreed to reinvestigate the kidnapping of Japanese nationals to train spies, in a significant breakthrough for testy relations.

The announcement comes after three days of talks between the two sides in Sweden, and marks the most positive engagement between Pyongyang and the outside world in many months.

"As a result of the Japan-North Korea talks, the North Korean side promised to the Japanese side that it will make a comprehensive and thorough investigation" into confirmed and suspected abductions, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said.

"In keeping with the promise, it will set up a special commission for the investigation."

In return, Tokyo has agreed to ease some of the stinging sanctions it has levelled at the unpredictable regime.

"Japan has decided to lift special restrictions on travel by people, reporting requirements on remittances ... as well as the ban on North Korea-registered vessels entering Japanese ports for humanitarian purposes," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.