They so far have not followed through, but their informal contacts have increased.
Change has seemed more explicit as contact with the outside world has increased.
More likely, increased economic contacts with the West would increase pressure for democratic political reform.
At the same time, contacts between Jews here and others abroad have increased markedly in the last year.
However, contacts between the Catholic world and Pyongyang are increasing.
In the final years of the Tokugawa, foreign contacts increased as more concessions were granted.
The economic and political structure of the region changed as contact with Europeans increased.
Foreign trade and other contacts with the outside world, particularly Japan, increased considerably.
Since 2004, political contacts have increased in profile and intensity.
As contact with Europeans increased, there arose a need for a single governing entity.