Soga talks to Thai abductee's kin, group meets Foreign Minister Aso
December 22, 2005Repatriated Japanese abductee Hitomi Soga and her American husband Charles Jenkins told family members of a Thai woman, who is also believed to have been abducted to North Korea, about what the couple know about the Thai woman on Thursday, according to relatives of Japanese abductees. After their meeting, Sukham Panchoi, elder brother of the purported Thai abductee, Anocha Panchoi, joined other family members of supposed South Korean and Lebanese abductees in an afternoon meeting with Foreign Minister Taro Aso at the Foreign Ministry.
Japanese trading houses waive part of loans to Iraq
December 22, 2005Six major Japanese trading houses said Thursday they have decided to waive part of their loans to Iraq in response to Iraqi government debt reduction and rescheduling requests. The debt waivers total some 196.1 billion yen for Mitsubishi Corp., Sumitomo Corp., Mitsui & Co., Itochu Corp., Sojitz Corp. and Tomen Corp.