Tokyo will demand that Pyongyang explain how it tracked down and punished those responsible for abducting Japanese nationals in past decades, sources said Tuesday.

The demand is one of six policy points in the government's new stance toward the North Korean regime decided Tuesday in a meeting of senior government officials discussing the abduction issue.

The policy follows Japan's rejection of North Korean explanations on 10 missing Japanese. Tokyo has already declared that human remains and other materials handed over by Pyongyang in November were unacceptable.

Tuesday's meeting, headed by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiken Sugiura, included high-ranking officials from the National Police Agency as well as the foreign, transport and related ministries.

Under the six-point package, the government will:

*Strongly insist that North Korea reveal the truth about the missing abductees and repatriate survivors.

*Take strong action depending on Pyongyang's response.

*Freeze remaining humanitarian rice aid, amounting to 125,000 tons, that has not yet been shipped to North Korea.

*Continue to strictly enforce laws pertaining to inspections of North Korean vessels.

*Demand an explanation of how North Korea identified the people responsible for abducting Japanese nationals and how the perpetrators were punished.

*Continue gathering information on the missing, including people strongly suspected of having been abducted.

Pyongyang provided records of criminal procedures for two people who it has said were executed for the abductions.

Sections of the documents were blacked out, however, making it impossible to ascertain which cases the individuals were involved in.

On Friday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda hinted at slapping economic sanctions on North Korea. He said Tokyo wants Pyongyang to act with sincerity, but added that Japan will not set a deadline for a response.(IHT/Asahi: December 30,2004)