ISLAMABAD, April 27: Japan said on Wednesday that it had serious reservations about alleged Pakistan-North Korea cooperation in nuclear technology and the issue would be raised by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi who is due here on April 30. “Japan wants more information, if there is any, about Dr A.Q. Khan and the alleged nuclear cooperation between Islamabad and Pyongyang,” said Japanese Ambassador Nobuaki Tanaka at a news conference.

He, however, said his country would not link its planned resumption of Yen Package Loan to Islamabad with the nuclear issue. Despite having serious concerns over nuclear matters, Japan had decided to resume the annual assistance suspended in 1998, he said.

“From our side, non-proliferation, Japanese security concerns, terrorism and more reforms in Pakistan would be the main topics of discussion during Prime Minister Koizumi’s visit to Pakistan”, he said.

The Japanese prime minister, he said, would make a formal announcement about the resumption of the Official Development Assistance. Pakistan had been receiving roughly $500 million Japanese assistance annually prior to 1998, which, he said, would be substantially enhanced in future.

“But I cannot give you the exact figure of assistance right now. It would initially be modest and would be increased gradually,” he said.

He said a number of bilateral agreements would be signed during the visit, including $88 million grant for the Faisalabad water supply scheme and the Taunsa Barrage project.

“There is going to be a new level of cooperation that will usher in a new chapter in the history of our countries,” he said adding that the bilateral ties suffered a setback when Pakistan gained nuclear capability in 1998.

“But now we believe that the full potential of cooperation needs to be explored,” he said.

He said that since Pakistan had greatly improved its relations with the United States and there was no tension with India, Japan planned to offer increased assistance and encourage more Japanese investment in the country.

He said nuclear non-proliferation was an important issue, which could not be ignored by the Japanese government and its people. “We hope to have more information about Dr A.Q. Khan and his alleged cooperation with North Korea,” he said.

Japan, he said, was very much concerned about weapons of mass destruction and that was why it had been expressing displeasure over alleged nuclear cooperation between Pakistan and North Korea. “We have good reasons to get worried about alleged Pakistan-North Korea cooperation,” he said. He said North Korea had been involved in kidnapping of Japanese citizens and it continued to be a threat for the existence of Japan.

Nevertheless, the ambassador said, Japan was now satisfied with Pakistan’s nuclear export control regime, which would come up for discussion when a team of Japanese experts arrived here next month.

“This export control is yet to be fine-tuned, as it has the potential to explode in future,” he said.

The Japanese ambassador said Pakistan had taken enough measures to curb terrorism.