日朝启动四年来首次直接会谈

日本和朝鲜开启了四年以来的首次直接对话，分析人士认为这反映了朝鲜对通过外交途径和经济改革稳定新政权的渴望。

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.

日朝两国从来没有正式建交。朝鲜上世纪70年代和80年代曾绑架日本公民，并曾向日本发射弹道导弹，加上朝鲜的核计划，这些都导致两国关系多年来处于极度紧张状态。

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.

尽管周三在北京举行的会谈的主要议题将是归还二战后留在朝鲜的日本士兵遗骸的问题，但会议的焦点将集中于两国能否在解决朝鲜绑架日本人的问题上取得进展。

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.

这次会谈也是朝鲜领导人金正恩(Kim Jong Eun)去年12月在其父金正日(Kim Jong Il)去世后执掌政权以来两国的首次会谈，外界将密切关注会谈中展示出的有助于了解这位新领导人外交政策的线索。

'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.

东京庆应义塾(Keio University)法学荣誉教授、朝鲜问题专家Masao Okonogi说，我认为朝鲜可能愿意以某种形式对绑架问题做出回应，绑架问题是双方将要讨论的人道主义问题的一部分。

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说，绑架问题的解决对于朝鲜实现朝日两国邦交关系正常化以及获得日本经济援助的目标至关重要。朝鲜经常面临粮食短缺，薄弱的基础设施让朝鲜非常容易受到包括洪水在内的自然灾害的影响。

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.

朝鲜2002年承认，为了培训特工曾绑架过日本人。朝鲜后来允许五名被绑架的日本人及其家人回到日本，同时声称被绑架的另外八个人已经死亡。朝鲜认为这件事已经画上句号，但是很多日本人认为一些被朝鲜绑架的人现在还活着，日本也要求对此事进行彻底的调查。

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.

这两个亚洲邻国的上一次对话是在2008年8月。日本静冈县立(University of Shizuoka)国际关系学教授伊豆见元(Izumi Hajime)说，朝日两国会谈经常因为绑架问题而破裂，但这次，朝鲜可能愿意与日本进行进一步的讨论。

'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.

他说，有可能两国正在设想未来某个时间召开一次大使级别的会议。有报道说朝鲜曾要求由部门负责人参与周三的会谈，而不是向东京最初要求的那样，让两国更高级别的官员会谈。

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.

这次会谈举行之际，日本正陷入因一组由韩国控制的岛屿的归属问题引发的日韩激烈领土争端。在韩国总统李明博(Lee Myung-bak)本月早些时候登上这些岛屿之后，日本国会通过了一项谴责李明博登岛行为的决议，日本首相野田佳彦(Yoshihiko Noda)指责韩国“非法占据”这些岛屿。日韩争议岛屿在韩国被称作独岛(Dokdo)，在日本被称作竹岛(Takeshima)，在其他被称作利扬库尔岩(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说，在日本和韩国就领土问题争执不休之际，朝鲜可能看到了一个坐收渔利的好机会。

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

他说，日本与韩国的关系陷入紧张之际，朝鲜可能认为这是与日本关系变得更为密切的一个好机会。