TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Saturday called on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to collectively triumph over their mutual distrust, as he confirmed ongoing efforts to organize a Japan-North Korea summit.
In a tv interview, Abe said his govt has contacted the North Korean side "through various channels" in a bid to organize a meeting with Kim.
During historical talks with US President Donald Trump in Singapore on Tuesday, Kim reportedly said he was open to a meeting with Abe.
Japan wants the talks to push the emotive issue of electorate abducted by way of the North a long time in the past, which has noticed little movement in spite of a whirlwind of global diplomacy in recent months.
"I want to take a step forward and resolve the (abduction) issue after each of us breaks our mutual distrust," Abe said.
"I have a strong sense of mission to resolve the issue under my own responsibility," he added.
Abe has already said publicly that he can be willing to meet Kim as a way to resolve the kidnapping issue.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono is considering talks along with his North Korean counterpart on the sidelines of a meeting of ASEAN envoys in Singapore starting in late July, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
During the interview, Abe expressed a readiness to finance denuclearisation prices in North Korea.
In the joint observation following Tuesday's talks with Trump, Kim agreed to the "complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula."
"It is natural for Japan and other countries which would benefit from easing fears of nuclear weapons to bear the costs," Abe said.
But Abe warned that Tokyo has no plan to give monetary support to Pyongyang without a resolution of the kidnapping issue.
The issue of Japanese electorate who were abducted within the 1970s and 1980s to lend a hand Pyongyang train its spies has long soured already strained members of the family between Tokyo and Pyongyang.
The Japanese govt has officially indexed 17 folks as abductees, but suspects dozens extra were snatched.
Japan has maintained a hardline position on North Korea in spite of the stepped-up diplomacy with Pyongyang in recent months, and has been left largely on the sidelines as South Korea, China and the United States have held talks with Kim.
In a tv interview, Abe said his govt has contacted the North Korean side "through various channels" in a bid to organize a meeting with Kim.
During historical talks with US President Donald Trump in Singapore on Tuesday, Kim reportedly said he was open to a meeting with Abe.
Japan wants the talks to push the emotive issue of electorate abducted by way of the North a long time in the past, which has noticed little movement in spite of a whirlwind of global diplomacy in recent months.
"I want to take a step forward and resolve the (abduction) issue after each of us breaks our mutual distrust," Abe said.
"I have a strong sense of mission to resolve the issue under my own responsibility," he added.
Abe has already said publicly that he can be willing to meet Kim as a way to resolve the kidnapping issue.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono is considering talks along with his North Korean counterpart on the sidelines of a meeting of ASEAN envoys in Singapore starting in late July, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
During the interview, Abe expressed a readiness to finance denuclearisation prices in North Korea.
In the joint observation following Tuesday's talks with Trump, Kim agreed to the "complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula."
"It is natural for Japan and other countries which would benefit from easing fears of nuclear weapons to bear the costs," Abe said.
But Abe warned that Tokyo has no plan to give monetary support to Pyongyang without a resolution of the kidnapping issue.
The issue of Japanese electorate who were abducted within the 1970s and 1980s to lend a hand Pyongyang train its spies has long soured already strained members of the family between Tokyo and Pyongyang.
The Japanese govt has officially indexed 17 folks as abductees, but suspects dozens extra were snatched.
Japan has maintained a hardline position on North Korea in spite of the stepped-up diplomacy with Pyongyang in recent months, and has been left largely on the sidelines as South Korea, China and the United States have held talks with Kim.
Japan urges N Korea to jointly break mutual distrust
![Japan urges N Korea to jointly break mutual distrust]()
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June 17, 2018
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