The Japanese Prime Minister's Desire To Meet Kim Jong Un Was Not Responded To By North Korea

JAKARTA - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's proposal to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has yet to receive a response from Pyongyang, government sources said Tuesday.

The Japanese government said Takaichi conveyed the idea to North Korea as soon as he took office on October 21.

As reported by ANTARA from Kyodo-OANA, Tuesday, November 4, this news emerged after Takaichi stated at an event in Tokyo on Monday (3/11) he had submitted the proposal, calling for the settlement of Japan's kidnapping case by North Korea in the past.

However, Cabinet Secretary Minuru Kihara declined to comment on the details of North Korea's reaction at a press conference Tuesday. He only said the Japanese government was approaching Pyongyang through various channels.

The Japanese government officially recorded 17 people kidnapped by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s, and suspected Pyongyang's involvement in many other cases of missing citizens.

Five of them were repatriated in October 2002 after historic talks between North Korean leaders at the time, Kim Jong Il, and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Pyongyang in the previous month.

Since Koizumi visited Pyongyang and met Kim Jong Il again in 2004, there has been no longer a summit between leaders of the two countries.

North Korea, which has no diplomatic relations with Japan, insists the kidnapping issue has been resolved.

Kihara, who also serves as minister dealing with kidnapping issues, reiterated the Japanese government's stance that they would do everything so that all victims could return home as soon as possible.

As for last week's diplomatic meeting series in Japan and other Asian regions, Takaichi sought support from United States President Donald Trump to resolve the issue. Takaichi also exchanged views on the North Korean situation with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

China is traditionally an ally of North Korea, and Takaichi may also have asked Beijing for cooperation regarding the issue of the kidnapping.

However, the prospects remain unclear, given Kim Yo Jong, the younger brother of North Korean leader, in March 2024 issued a statement rejecting further contact or negotiations with Japan.