N Korea eyes fruitful ties with next Japan PM

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TOKYO, Sept 10 (Reuters): North Korea's nominal No 2 leader has called for "fruitful relations" with Japan's next prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, but ties will depend on how Tokyo tackles issues such as compensation for Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule, Kyodo news agency reported Thursday.
Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, also suggested in an interview that leader Kim Jong-il had no health problems, adding that there had been no discussions on who would succeed him, Kyodo reported from Pyongyang.
"The prospect of (North) Korea-Japan relations will solely depend on the attitude of the Japanese government," Kim Yong-nam was quoted by Kyodo as saying.
Ties between Japan and North Korea have been rocky because of issues ranging from Japan's past colonisation to North Korea's abductions of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as concerns about Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes.
Tokyo imposed an array of sanctions on the North after a series of missile and nuclear tests, while North Korea's official media are routinely scathing in their criticism of Japan.
Hatoyama, who is expected to take office on September 16, advocates closer ties with Asian neighbours but his party has promised to take firm measures to urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme with help from the international community.
On media reports on a potential successor to leader Kim Jong-il, Kim Yong-nam said they were "groundless," Kyodo said.
"We haven't even had discussion on such an issue in our country," he was quoted as saying.
The youngest son of iron ruler Kim Jong-il has for months been the focus of discussions about who might next lead the impoverished state, with media reports having said leader Kim has anointed Kim Jong-un to take over the family dynasty.