North Korea says Japan's prime minister offered to meet with leader Kim Jong Un soon
Stalled negotiations between North Korea and Japan over potential summit meeting.
- Bilawal Riaz
- 1 min read
North Korea stated that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed willingness to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un promptly, highlighting that the possibility of their first summit in 20 years hinges on Japan accepting North Korea’s weapons program and overlooking past abductions of Japanese citizens. While Kishida emphasized that a meeting with Kim is vital to address the abduction issue, observers suggest that a summit between the two leaders is unlikely due to North Korea’s preconditions that Japan cannot agree to. North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong conveyed that there can be no improvement in relations if Japan fixates on the abduction matter and meddles in North Korea’s sovereignty, hinting at the country’s weapon testing. The history of strained North Korea-Japan relations, with unresolved issues like the abduction problem and North Korea’s nuclear activities, remains a significant challenge. Experts highlight that North Korea might be using the prospect of a summit with Japan to leverage its position with the U.S. and seeks potential economic benefits from Japan, but a summit between Kim and Kishida seems improbable at present.