The Japanese Prefecture of Osaka has delayed the provision of subsidies to schools run by the North Korea-affiliated General Association of Korean Residents or Chongryon.

Japan’s Kyodo News reported Tuesday that Osaka Governor Ichiro Matsui delayed the payment of subsidies worth 81 million yen for fiscal 2011 ending this month to eight schools run by the pro-North Korea group.

The governor said there is no confirmation that the schools have yet severed their relations with Chongryon and that is why the funds have been delayed.

The prefecture’s decision will likely affect other local governments that are reviewing funding to those schools. It is likely to influence the Japanese Education Ministry’s decision on whether to make high school education at pro-North Korea schools tuition-free.