Onodera, Parly agree to maximize pressure on N. Korea

January 27, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera and his French counterpart, Florence Parly, agreed Saturday to maximize pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile development.

The ministers also confirmed at a meeting in Tokyo that their countries will cooperate to maintain maritime order and promote Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Parly told a news conference after the meeting that diplomacy is the only solution to the North Korea issue, stressing the need to fully implement sanctions against the reclusive country under related U.N. Security Council resolutions.

During their meeting, Onodera and Parly affirmed the importance of freedom of navigation.

Onodera expressed concern about China's development of military bases in the South China Sea. Parly said France sends navy vessels there every year for freedom of navigation operations.

Also on Saturday, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and his visiting French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, held the Seventh Japan-France Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue.

The foreign chiefs confirmed that the two countries' top leaders will visit each other's country to reinforce bilateral ties this year as the Japan-French friendship reaches the 160th anniversary.

Japan hopes to work to deepen its special partnership with France this year, including through mutual visits by President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Abe, Kono said.

Abe is considering visiting France when an opening ceremony of the Japonismes 2018 cultural promotion event takes place in Paris in July. Jiji Press