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N Korea seeks

more rise

from Japan

TOKYO: North Korea has asked Japan for more rice aid and a senior official in Tokyo has said the government would consider the request with "sincerity", a Japanese news report said on Saturday.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun daily said North Korea, which is reported to be suffering from food shortages, made the request in a written document sent to Japan's ruling coalition government.

It is the second request for rice from North Korea, which has no diplomatic ties with Japan.

A senior Foreign Ministry official was quoted by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun as saying he had not received official communication from North Korea, but that Tokyo would "respond to the request with sincerity".

Negotiators from both countries were expected to meet this month to discuss a possible additional 200,000 tonnes in rice aid to Pyongyang, the report said.

After Japan agreed in June to provide 300,000 tonnes of rice to Pyongyang, officials pledged to consider extra rice shipments.

The first consignment of rice -- 8,000 tonnes -- left Tokyo for Pyongyang in mid-July.

However, the news report said some Foreign Ministry officials were calling for caution after Pyongyang detained the crew of a South Korean ship that recently delivered rice aid to the North.

North Korea has accused a crewman of illegally photographing port facilities when the ship docked at the northern port of Chongjin a week ago.

Officials from the two Koreas are currently meeting in Bejing in an attempt to secure of the ship and the 21 crew held by Pyongyang on spying charges.-Reuter