There is no obstacle to North Korea’s close relationship with Japan. There may even come a day when the country’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits Pyongyang. Such comments were made by Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. This information was published by the state news agency KCNA on Thursday (February 16). British news agency Reuters reported this news.
Japan has no formal diplomatic relations with North Korea. Fumio Kishida said he was looking for a possible dialogue with North Korean leaders to resolve the issue of Japanese civilians abducted in the 1970s and 1980s.
Kim Yo Jong, Deputy Department Director of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party. He said that Kishida’s comments can be considered positive if they are meant to advance the relationship between the two countries.
He said, ‘If Japan…makes a political decision to open a new path towards developing relations based on mutual respect and respectful treatment, I think it can open the door to new possibilities for both countries.’
Japan has always criticized North Korea’s pursuit of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons. For this reason, however, North Korea often criticizes Japan harshly. Especially on the issue of increasing the country’s security alliance with South Korea and the United States.
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary and top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said the Japanese government has taken Kim Yo Jong’s comments into account. However, Hayashi refrained from further commenting on how the country views his comments.
However, Japan’s position on the resolution of the abduction issue has been clarified, Hayashi said, Japan does not accept North Korea’s claim that this issue has been resolved.
He also said, ‘Our position on comprehensively resolving issues with North Korea such as abductions, nuclear weapons and missiles remains unchanged.’
Meanwhile, Kim’s comments on improving North Korea’s relations with Japan speak differently. KCNA reported that the country’s supreme leader Kim clarified that the comments or views of sister Kim Yo Jong are purely his personal observations. He said, as far as he knows, the North’s leadership has no specific plans for relations or communication with Japan.
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