日朝啓動四年來首次直接會談

Japan and North Korea kicked off their first direct talks in four years, in a move analysts see as reflecting Pyongyang's desire to stabilize its new regime through diplomacy and economic reform.

日本和朝鮮開啓了四年以來的首次直接對話，分析人士認爲這反映了朝鮮政府對通過外交途徑和經濟改革穩定新政權的渴望。

The two countries have never had formal diplomatic ties, and relations have been severely strained over the years by North Korea's abductions of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the North's firing of ballistic missiles over Japan and its nuclear program.

日朝兩國從來沒有正式建交。朝鮮上世紀70年代和80年代曾綁架日本公民，並曾向日本發射彈道導彈，加上朝鮮的核計劃，這些都導致兩國關係多年來處於極度緊張狀態。

While the primary topic of Wednesday's meeting in Beijing will be repatriating the remains of Japanese who died in Korea at the end of World War II, the focus will be on whether the two nations can make progress on the abduction issue.

儘管週三在北京舉行的會談的主要議題將是歸還二戰後留在朝鮮的日本士兵遺骸的問題，但會議的焦點將集中於兩國能否在解決朝鮮綁架日本人的問題上取得進展。

The meeting is also the first between the two nations since North Korean leader Kim Jong Eun took power after his father Kim Jong Il died in December, and will be closely watched for clues as to the new leader's foreign policy.

這次會談也是朝鮮領導人金正恩(Kim Jong Eun)去年12月在其父金正日(Kim Jong Il)去世後執掌政權以來兩國的首次會談，外界將密切關注會談中展示出的有助於瞭解這位新領導人外交政策的線索。

'I'm under the impression North Korea may be willing to respond, in some form, to the abductions issue as part of the humanitarian issues to be discussed,' said Masao Okonogi, an expert on Korean affairs and professor emeritus in law at Keio University in Tokyo.

東京慶應義塾大學(Keio University)法學榮譽教授、朝鮮問題專家Masao Okonogi說，我認爲朝鮮可能願意以某種形式對綁架問題做出迴應，綁架問題是雙方將要討論的人道主義問題的一部分。

Prof. Okonogi said resolving the abduction issue is crucial to Pyongyang's goal of normalizing diplomatic relations with Japan and seeking Tokyo's economic assistance. North Korea suffers from frequent food shortages, and poor infrastructure leaves it prone to natural disasters including floods.

Masao Okonogi說，綁架問題的解決對於朝鮮政府實現朝日兩國邦交關係正常化以及獲得日本經濟援助的目標至關重要。朝鮮經常面臨糧食短缺，薄弱的基礎設施讓朝鮮非常容易受到包括洪水在內的自然災害的影響。

Pyongyang admitted in 2002 to abducting Japanese in the past for use in training spies. It then allowed five of them and their family members to return to Japan, while claiming the remaining eight had died. The North considers the issue closed, but many Japanese believe some of those kidnapped are still alive, and Tokyo has demanded a thorough investigation.

朝鮮政府2002年承認，爲了培訓特工曾綁架過日本人。朝鮮後來允許五名被綁架的日本人及其家人回到日本，同時聲稱被綁架的另外八個人已經死亡。朝鮮認爲這件事已經畫上句號，但是很多日本人認爲一些被朝鮮綁架的人現在還活着，日本政府也要求對此事進行徹底的調查。

Talks between the Asian neighbors, last held in August 2008, have often broken down over the abduction issue, but this time, the North may be willing to engage in further discussions, said Izumi Hajime, professor of international relations at Shizuoka University.

這兩個亞洲鄰國的上一次對話是在2008年8月。日本靜岡縣立大學(University of Shizuoka)國際關係學教授伊豆見元(Izumi Hajime)說，朝日兩國會談經常因爲綁架問題而破裂，但這次，朝鮮可能願意與日本進行進一步的討論。

'There's a possibility that at some point, they may be envisioning an ambassador-level meeting,' he said, referring to reports that North Korea requested Wednesday's meeting be held among section chiefs and not higher-ranking officials, as Tokyo initially requested.

他說，有可能兩國正在設想未來某個時間召開一次大使級別的會議。有報道說朝鮮曾要求由部門負責人蔘與週三的會談，而不是向東京最初要求的那樣，讓兩國更高級別的官員會談。

The meeting also comes as Japan is ensnared in a bitter territorial dispute with South Korea over claims to a set of disputed islands controlled by Seoul. After South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's visit earlier this month to the islands - known as Liancourt Rocks in countries not party to the dispute but called Dokdo by Korea and Takeshima by Japan - the Japanese parliament passed a resolution denouncing his visit and Japanes Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda criticized Seoul for 'illegally' occupying the islands.

這次會談舉行之際，日本正陷入因一組由韓國控制的島嶼的歸屬問題引發的日韓激烈領土爭端。在韓國總統李明博(Lee Myung-bak)本月早些時候登上這些島嶼之後，日本國會通過了一項譴責李明博登島行爲的決議，日本首相野田佳彥(Yoshihiko Noda)指責韓國“非法佔據”這些島嶼。日韓爭議島嶼在韓國被稱作獨島(Dokdo)，在日本被稱作竹島(Takeshima)，在其他國家被稱作利揚庫爾巖(Liancourt Rocks)。

As Japan and South Korea squabble over the issue, Pyongyang may see a good chance to play its neighbors off against each other, said Keio University's Prof. Okonogi.

Masao Okonogi說，在日本和韓國就領土問題爭執不休之際，朝鮮政府可能看到了一個坐收漁利的好機會。

'With Japan's ties with South Korea strained, the North may think this is a good chance to get closer to Tokyo,' he said.

他說，日本與韓國的關係陷入緊張之際，朝鮮可能認爲這是與日本關係變得更爲密切的一個好機會。