Japan to replace top nuclear envoy: source

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Nov. 4 (Yonhap) -- Japan is expected to replace its chief delegate to the
now-stalled six-way North Korea denuclearization talks in a shake-up of senior
diplomats under the new administration of Yukio Hatoyama, a diplomatic source
said Wednesday.
South Korea's top nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac will visit Tokyo early next week on
his way back from Washington and hold a farewell meeting with Akitaka Saiki,
director general of the Japanese foreign ministry's Asian and Oceanian affairs
bureau, the source said, asking to remain anonymous.
The Japanese government is expected to announce the decision to replace Saiki
shortly after their meeting, according to the source.
Saiki, who took the post in January 2008, will "be promoted to the post
overseeing the Japanese foreign ministry's policy coordination," the source said.
He would not say whether Tokyo has already picked his successor.
The replacement, if confirmed, would come as North Korea and the U.S. are flexing
their muscles over bilateral dialogue ahead of the anticipated resumption of the
six-party talks, the last round of which was held in December of last year.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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