Nikishida: "Pursuing Summit Talks with North Korea's Kim Jong-un... High-Level Approach"

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced that the Japanese government is conducting a "high-level approach" to North Korea in preparation for a summit meeting with North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Speaking in an interview with CNN on the 7th (U.S. time) ahead of his visit to the United States, Prime Minister Kishida said this. He explained that the purpose of promoting a North Korea-Japan summit is to resolve "unresolved issues" and to promote a stable relationship between the two countries.

The "unresolved issues" are interpreted to refer to the issue of Japanese abductees and North Korea's illegal development of nuclear weapons and missiles. Prime Minister Kishida has repeatedly stated that he will promote a summit with North Korea to promptly resolve the abductee issue. However, Kim Yo-jong, deputy department director of the Workers' Party and sister of Chairman Kim, and Choe Son-hui, North Korean Foreign Minister, announced last month that they would not pursue a North Korea-Japan summit after Japan raised the abduction issue.

Prime Minister Kishida emphasized, "Enhancing Japan's deterrence and (military) response capabilities is essential for the alliance with the United States," and added, "I hope the United States understands this and that we can work together for peace and stability in the region."

He said, "Witnessing Russia's invasion, the ongoing situation in the Middle East, and the situation in East Asia, we are facing a historic turning point," and added, "This is why Japan has made the decision to fundamentally strengthen its defense capabilities and significantly shift its security policy related to these issues."

He continued, "Our neighbors include countries developing ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons, countries enhancing their defense capabilities in opaque ways, and attempts to change the status quo by force in the East China Sea and South China Sea," emphasizing that security threats from North Korea and China are the background for Japan's defense policy shift.

Regarding the recently strengthened North Korea-Russia military cooperation, he pointed out that it is "worrisome for international order and stability." He stressed, "It is important to send a firm message to North Korea and China that maintaining a free and open international order based on the rule of law is crucial for peace, stability, and prosperity in the international community."

Prime Minister Kishida will hold a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on the 10th, followed by a speech to the U.S. Congress and a trilateral summit with the U.S. and the Philippines on the 11th. CNN noted that this meeting is held less than a year after the South Korea-U.S.-Japan summit at Camp David, highlighting Japan's growing importance in the U.S. Indo-Pacific security strategy amid rising regional tensions. Internally in Japan, Kishida is facing difficulties as his approval ratings have plummeted due to scandals within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. CNN also pointed out that Japan's policy direction could change due to the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November.

In the interview released that day, Prime Minister Kishida said the U.S.-Japan alliance is "becoming even more important," and added, "I think it is important to show the world that the United States and Japan will further develop cooperation through this visit to the U.S." When asked if he was concerned about the re-election of former U.S. President Donald Trump, he replied, "The Japan-U.S. relationship has become stronger than ever," and said, "Regardless of the election outcome, I think it is important to ensure that the American people clearly recognize the importance of the Japan-U.S. relationship."