Japan, U.S. agree to keep pressure on North Korea

April 22, 2018

Washington- The defense chiefs of Japan and the United States agreed Friday to maintain pressure and sanctions on North Korea to make the country scrap all of its ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction.

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera briefed reporters on the accord reached at his meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis in Washington.

Tokyo's position is that North Korea must eliminate not only intercontinental ballistic missiles but also short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching Japan.

Onodera and Mattis confirmed that the United States will urge North Korea to scrap the shorter-range missiles at a possible bilateral summit, which is expected to be held by early June, according to the Japanese minister.

Onodera quoted Mattis as saying that the United States considers North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals decades ago as a significant issue.

"It's my understanding that the abduction issue will be raised" at the potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Onodera said.

On North Korea's demand for U.S. forces' withdrawal from South Korea, the Japanese and U.S. defense chiefs confirmed the importance of maintaining deterrence. Jiji Press