(Adnkronos) – Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has stated her readiness to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in an attempt to improve bilateral relations and address the unresolved issue of Japanese citizens abducted by Pyongyang in the 1970s and 1980s. According to informed sources revealed to Kyodo News, Tokyo has already initiated preliminary steps for a possible summit date.
“I wish to initiate sincere relations between Japan and North Korea and to achieve results in various areas,” Takaichi declared, reiterating that the abduction dossier remains an absolute priority for the government. Japanese authorities accuse North Korean services of having abducted 17 citizens, while Pyongyang has recognized only 13. Five of them were returned in 2002, after visits by then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. For eight other cases, North Korea claims that the abductees have died, a version that Tokyo disputes, citing DNA analyses deemed inconclusive. Japan continues to demand the effective delivery of remains and a full clarification of all outstanding issues.
