Suga to meet Pence on Friday during U.S. visit

May 8, 2019

Tokyo--Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will hold talks with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence in Washington on Friday morning during his U.S. trip, officials said Tuesday.

Suga and Pence are expected to confirm the two countries' cooperation over North Korea, including the issue of its abduction of Japanese nationals.

They are also likely to discuss the realignment of U.S. military bases in Japan, to ease the burden on Okinawa Prefecture, where such bases in the country are heavily concentrated.

In Washington Thursday afternoon, Suga will meet with Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

On Friday, after the talks with Pence, Suga will head to New York to give a speech at a symposium on the abduction issue at the U.N. headquarters.

Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo Tuesday, Suga said that with the U.S. visit, he aims to "strengthen bilateral cooperation to resolve the abduction issue."

Suga will leave Japan on Thursday for Washington and return home on Sunday. Jiji Press