Abe sets conditions for summit with Kim Jong-un
Prime Minister Abe affirmed that the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korea must be mentioned in every summit between the two sides.
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| Prime Minister Abe at a press conference in June. Photo: Nikkei. |
"I want to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and end the distrust between the two countries. However, any summit must contribute to resolving the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea," the daily said.Sankei Shimbunquoted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as saying today.
Tokyo has long demanded that Pyongyang resolve the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s to help train spies. The official list released by Japan includes 17 victims. Tokyo also suspects Pyongyang of involvement in a series of other disappearances of Japanese citizens.
Despite efforts at negotiation, the two sides have not made any progress..North Korea has always maintained that the issue of its abducted Japanese citizens has been resolved. The decades-long dispute has prevented Japan and North Korea from normalizing diplomatic relations.
After the US-North Korea summit in June in Singapore, US President Donald Trump said he had raised the issue of abducted Japanese citizens with the North Korean leader. However, the joint statement issued after the summit did not mention this issue.
