The Japanese Prime Minister recently expressed his desire to meet Kim Jong Un. This was announced by Kim Gojong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, on Monday. The Japanese prime minister told parliament in Tokyo on Monday that “high-level talks are needed” to resolve issues between the two countries. Kisida said it was primarily “the issue of kidnappings.”
Pyongyang is accused of kidnapping dozens of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s to use them to train spies.
In 2002, North Korea acknowledged several cases, in which 13 people were kidnapped. The issue has been unresolved for several decades between the two countries, and this leads to serious tension in relations between Pyongyang and Tokyo. This is not the only controversial issue: the regime regularly mentions the Japanese occupation from 1910 to 1945 and demands compensation.
Japan is one of the United States' most important political, economic, and military allies, and has long been a thorn in North Korea's side. Tokyo feels threatened by the regime's nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
Kim Gojong said on Monday that it mainly depends on Japan's decision to “open a new chapter in bilateral relations.”
Cover image credit: Tohru Hanai – Pool/Getty Images
