Suga Seeks Concrete N. Korean Steps for Denuclearization

October 8, 2018

Tokyo- Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga urged North Korea on Sunday to take concrete steps for achieving denuclearization.

"The signing of (a joint statement on) denuclearization at the U.S.-North Korean summit was very meaningful," Suga said on a television program. "It's important that (plans for denuclearization) are promoted in line with a road map."

Suga signaled the government's intention to make utmost efforts to arrange a Japan-North Korea summit meeting to resolve the longstanding issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korean agents decades ago.

"We want Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to meet and make a decision. We will make arrangements for that," he said.

Suga assumed the concurrent post of minister in charge of the abduction issue in a cabinet reshuffle last week.

On constitutional amendments, Suga said the ruling Liberal Democratic Party plans to draw up a draft and submit it to the commissions on the constitution of both chambers of parliament.

It is important for the LDP to produce a draft first while giving careful explanations to Komeito, the coalition partner of the LDP, he said. Jiji Press