Abe and Kim Jong-un may meet in Vladivostok
The Japanese government has begun preparations for a meeting between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in September in Vladivostok as part of the Eastern Economic Forum, Kyodo news agency reported, citing government sources.
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| City of Vladivostok |
This meeting was possible due to the fact that Russia invited the North Korean leader to participate in the forum.
Earlier, the press reported that Japan and North Korea are discussing secret negotiations on holding a meeting of the leaders of the two countries. It is indicated that this meeting may take place in August 2018 if Shinzo Abe visits Pyongyang, or in September within the framework of an international forum.
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| Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Photo: AFP |
During the talks, the two sides are considering how to resolve the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s. The Japanese prime minister has repeatedly expressed his desire to discuss the remaining issues "directly" with Kim Jong-un.
After Kim Jong-un met US President Donald Trump in Singapore, Japan's Prime Minister said he was willing to provide aid to North Korea and normalize relations if Pyongyang resolved its nuclear and missile issues, along with the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea.
