Ready to break shell of mutual distrust; want to meet Chairman Kim Jong-Un: Japan’s PM Abe
On Tuesday, September 25, 2018 Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe said in his speech at UNGA, that he wants to meet North Korean leader Kim-Jong-Un face to face to break the shell of mutual distrust with a determination that this helps resolve the abduction issue.
PM Abe in his speech said, “North Korea is now at a crossroad at which it will either seize, or fail to seize, the historic opportunity it was afforded”.
Abe said, “In order to resolve the abduction issue, I am also ready to break the shell of mutual distrust with North Korea, get off a new start and meet face to face with chairman Kim Jong-Un”.
He added, “But if we are to have one, then I am determined that it must contribute to the resolution of the abduction issue”.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed his willingness to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un
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— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) September 26, 2018
As per official list of Japan, North Korea abducted 17 Japanese citizens in 1970s and 80s to teach Japanese language and customs to North Korean spies. Five were released by North Korea in 2002 after the summit between the leaders of two countries in Pyongyang. North Korea claims that it abducted only 13 and out of which, 8 have died.
Relations between Japan and DPRK are tense because of North Korea’s nuclear weapon programme, that Japan considers a direct threat to its security and sovereignty. Tensions soared when last year North Korea tested its ballistic missiles that flew through the space above the territory of Japan before falling into sea.
Japan’s Shinzo Abe says he could meet Kim Jong-un face-to-face and ‘break the shell of mutual distrust’ https://t.co/JwkchFAp99
— The Independent (@Independent) September 26, 2018
Chairman Kim Jong-Un has met US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Moon Jae In, in this year. Chairman Kim and President Moon met from September 18, 2018 to September 20, 2018 in Pyongyang, where both leaders pledged for denuclearization of the peninsula.
PM Abe’s comments came after South Korean President Moon told Abe that Chairman Kim has expressed his will to meet at “an appropriate time” during their three day summit.
As reported by Yonhap news agency, Moon told Abe, “I believe the normalization of North Korea-Japan relations is required in the process of establishing peace on the Korean peninsula, and I will actively support and cooperate so a North Korea-Japan summit will be held”.
