Takaichi asked Trump to broker Japan-North Korea summit

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked U.S. President Donald Trump during their meeting last month to encourage North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to accept a summit with Japan if a U.S.-North Korea summit is realized.

This was revealed Tuesday by Katsunobu Kato, a former minister in charge of the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea decades ago, after Takaichi met with the abductees’ families at the prime minister’s office on the day and briefed them about her September meeting with Trump.

According to Kato, Takaichi told Trump of her hope that the president would urge Kim at their possible summit to meet with the Japanese leader. It is not known how Trump responded.

Negotiations between Japan and North Korea over the abduction issue have stalled, and Takaichi appears eager to break this stalemate.

In her parliamentary speech on Monday, she vowed to work to resolve the issue as soon as possible by keeping all options on the table, including a summit with Kim.

Takaichi has expressed her willingness to meet with Kim this year. Meanwhile, Trump is expected to attend an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China, in November, and some speculate that the president would meet with the North Korean leader on that occasion.

During Tuesday’s meeting with the abductees’ families, Takaichi noted that this year marks the 62nd birthday of Megumi Yokota, who was kidnapped at the age of 13, and described the abduction issue as a “serious humanitarian problem” that requires urgent action.

“I’m determined to make a breakthrough during my tenure, whatever it takes,” Takaichi said.