A Japanese daily says China pledged 500-thousand tons of rice aid to North Korea during Kim Jong-il's visit to China in August.

The Tokyo Shimbun cited a source which said that during summit talks in Jilin, Kim asked for rice aid to help the North cope with a food shortage that has resulted from sanctions by the West. The source said that Chinese President Hu Jintao agreed to provide the aid.

The paper says it's the first time an agreement made at the August summit talks has been confirmed.

It also speculates that the North's request for the rice aid is most likely linked to the 28th birthday of Kim Jong-il's son and political heir Kim Jong-un on January eighth.

The daily figures the rice will be distributed to the North Korean people to mark his birthday.