Present there were figures of civic and solidarity organizations for demanding the normalization of the relations between the DPRK and Japan across Japan.

At the event the Liaison Council reviewed the work over the past year and introduced the activities conducted in various parts of Japan to support the Korean schools.

Koji Ito, co-representative of the Liaison Council, said that it is important for the two countries to normalize the relations as soon as possible, adding that to this end it is necessary to form a group of visitors to the DPRK to step up the exchanges between NGOs.

Nobuyoshi Takashima, honorary professor of University of Ryukyu, denounced demonstrations against the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan being held in various places of Japan as an overt threat.

Criticizing the Japanese politicians' wrong understanding of the history as regards the crimes related to the sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army, he accused the media of shunning the inhuman nature of the issue.

Haruki Wata, honorary professor of University of Tokyo who is advisor to the Liaison Council, said that the Japanese government should make a switchover in its policy toward the DPRK to resume the dialogue with it, and called for building up public opinion for it.

Koichi Ishizaka, associate professor of Rikkyo University who is co-representative and general secretary of the Liaison Council, said that the council should hold a meeting demanding the normalization of the relations between the two countries on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration and activate its work by calling upon the government to make apology and reparations for Japan's past colonial domination and apply the tuition-free program to the Korean schools.

Adopted at the event was an appeal demanding the government halt its hostile policy toward the DPRK and resume the talks for the normalization of the relations between the two countries to ensure the peace in Northeast Asia.