Japan agrees to lift sanctions on DPRK

Japan said on Friday it will lift some sanctions on Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) including a ban on charter flights and travel after Pyongyang agreed to reinvestigate the fate of Japanese citizens abducted decades ago.

Talks on establishing diplomatic ties between the two wary neighbors have been blocked by the dispute over the abduction cases.

The issue is a highly emotive one in Japan.