
AI-generated summary
The Japanese government considers resolving the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea as one of its top priorities and has sought cooperation with the United States.
(Tokyo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Lee Do-yeon = Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reiterated his intention to hold a summit meeting with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un on the 8th for the return of Japanese abduction victims.
According to Kyodo News, Prime Minister Takaichi emphasized at a 'national rally' held in Tokyo on this day to demand the return of North Korean kidnapping victims, "My determination to somehow find a breakthrough and resolve the issue during my tenure remains unchanged."
He added, “We are continuing to make efforts to lead to concrete results.”
Prime Minister Takaichi said, "It is very heartbreaking" that the victims have not returned to their country even after a year since he took office as Prime Minister, and emphasized, "The kidnapping victims and their families are all getting older, so this problem must be resolved immediately."
He also mentioned that “I once again received full support from (US President Donald) Trump” regarding the immediate resolution of the North Korean kidnapping issue.
The Japanese government is requesting mediation from the United States and is seeking dialogue with North Korea regarding the abduction issue.
There were also reports that at the US-Japan summit held in the US in September, Prime Minister Takaichi asked President Trump to arrange a North Korea-Japan summit if the North Korea-US summit were to materialize.
Since taking office, Prime Minister Takaichi has repeatedly expressed his intention to hold a summit meeting with Chairman Kim to resolve the issue of abductees from North Korea.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, who also serves as the minister in charge of the kidnapping issue, said, “There is no longer any time to delay for a solution. The time is now.” He added, “I am working every day with the determination that the Takaichi administration must resolve the kidnapping issue and become the last administration to deal with the kidnapping issue.”

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