Takaichi Asks Trump to Broker Japan-N. Korea Summit

Tokyo, Oct. 6 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked U.S. President Donald Trump at their meeting last month to encourage North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to accept a summit with Japan if a U.S.-North Korea summit is realized, it was learned Tuesday.

This was revealed by Katsunobu Kato, a former minister in charge of the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea decades ago, after Takaichi met with the abductees' families at the prime minister's office on the day and briefed them about her September meeting with Trump.

According to Kato, Takaichi told Trump of her hope that the president would urge Kim at their possible summit to meet with the Japanese leader. It is not known how Trump responded.

Negotiations between Japan and North Korea over the abduction issue have stalled, and Takaichi appears eager to break this stalemate.

In her parliamentary speech on Monday, she vowed to work to resolve the issue as soon as possible by keeping all options on the table, including a summit with Kim.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]