Japan opposes Trump move on food aid to N.Korea

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) –Japan on Thursday came out against giving humanitarian aid to North Korea, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump supported South Korea’s bid to help Pyongyang to attend to its food shortage crises.

According to Kyodo news agency, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono expressed his reservations against the move.

"It is premature to provide aid from outside, given the country is in a situation where funds that should be used for the welfare of its people, could instead go toward the development of nuclear weapons and missiles,” Taro Kono told the Japanese House of Councilors’ foreign affairs and defense committee.

Trump had expressed his support for humanitarian aid, when he talked to his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in on the phone on Tuesday night to discuss how to bring the North back to the negotiating table for nuclear disarmament.

Japanese foreign minister said that North Korea must stop prioritizing weapons development and accept the fact that it needs to provide welfare to its people.

A recent UN report warned that more than 10 million North Koreans are suffering from severe food insecurity after the country experienced the worst harvest in a decade.