Ishiba, Japanese Prime Minister, "Demanding North Korea's Nuclear and Missile Abandonment through International Cooperation"

"Maintaining Close Communication with the Trump Administration on North Korea Response"

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated on the 27th, "We will work with the United States, South Korea, and the international community to fully implement the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and demand the complete dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs."

Shigeru Ishiba, Prime Minister of Japan, Yonhap News

During the House of Representatives plenary session on the same day, in response to a question from Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, who asked, "What do you think is the true meaning behind U.S. President Donald Trump's remark calling North Korea a 'nuclear-armed state'?" Ishiba replied, "I am not in a position to explain the remarks of another country's leader and will refrain from commenting on them," but added the above statement.

He also added, "Not only between myself and President Trump but also with the Trump administration, we will build a solid relationship of trust and cooperation and maintain close communication regarding responses to North Korea."

In his question, Noda also urged the Ishiba Cabinet to take a firm stance, saying, "We must never recognize North Korea as a nuclear-armed state," and "If we recognize North Korea as a nuclear-armed state even temporarily, wouldn't it become even more difficult to achieve denuclearization?"

In response to a question from Seiji Maehara, co-leader of the second opposition party Japan Innovation Party, asking, "What measures are being taken to resolve the issue of Japanese abductees?" Prime Minister Ishiba said, "I have made appeals to Kim Jong-un (Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea) and have been making various efforts through different channels."

He added, "We will return to the starting point of the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration and, with strong determination, devote all efforts to resolving various issues with North Korea so that all abductees can return home as soon as possible, and will seek the most effective methods."

The Japanese government has established a policy to comprehensively resolve various issues including abductions, nuclear, and missile matters with North Korea, based on the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration announced after then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited North Korea in 2002 and held talks with Kim Jong-il, Chairman of the National Defense Commission.