The Washington Post is reporting that North Korea has agreed to reinvestigate the Japanese abductions.  It surprised the Japanese government but prompted them to pledge to lift some economic sanctions as a result.  The agreement was reached in bilateral negotiations in Beijing on Friday.

The abduction issue is a big deal in Japan and was the subject of an entire documentary film. The subject of the North Korean abductions was the subject of another recent post. 

North Korea also agreed to join in the investigation of the 1970 hijacking of a Japanese jet to the North, where four hijackers are believed to remain, Komura said. 

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda suggested Friday that if the reinvestigation of the abductions makes progress, Japan would ease other economic sanctions.