Japan sounds out N Korea on summit: Asahi

Japan did not consider a meeting earlier for the same reason that the U.S. did not. NK refused to discuss their nuclear and missile program. Now that SK as well as China have stated that NK has declared a willingness to discuss the issue, talks are possible. Just following the news makes this rather obvious.

Tokyo and Pyongyang need to do a summit!!  Tokyo and Pyongyang need to cast off their superpower mentors and go at it alone.  They can accomplish more if no one is looking over their shoulders.   Chance for Tokyo to help the North Korean people and bring Pyongyang into the modern world.

This is what the Japanese government should have done a while ago instead of blindly following Trump war wagon. Granted, NK did lobby missiles towards Japan, but past is past.

WHAT?? This is EXACTLY following, Japan is NOT coming up with this on their own, others are setting up meetings THEN Japan wants their own Japan is totally on the coat tails of SK & US on this!

The better question is why didn't Japan attempt meeting BEFORE any of the recent events!

Japan should boost its army from defense to attack

should have missiles , nuclear weapon too

so NK will be quiet

don't need dialogue , no negotiation with NK

Great news.

This is what the Japanese government should have done a while ago instead of blindly following Trump war wagon. Granted, NK did lobby missiles towards Japan, but past is past.

Make peace not war.

It is still a big bargain if Japan pays 50 billion of aid to buy a normal relationship. If North Korea get rid of nuclear weapons and return the ashes of abductees in sincerely. I think the North Koreans were talking US dollars!

dcog: "If this finally resolves the kidnapping issue then well done!"

Sadly, it won't, so don't congratulate either leader quite yet. In fact, I bet you it won't happen at all. Abe is to headstrong and gung-ho on Japan being what it was once before being destroyed, and does nothing but look down on other Asian nations. Kim is a psychopath. Not a match for getting things done. It'll never reach the stage where they meet because it'll break down in negotiations on what to talk about. Japan will do nothing but demand, demand, demand, saying ultimately that no sanctions will be lifted until all its demands are met. Kim will, rightfully, point out that an ultimatum is not negotiation, and will walk out, not even getting down to the demands, demands, and demands he would have made as prerequisites for doing anything Japan wants. Japan will huff and puff and go back to back patting and saying this is why they need to change the Constitution, and NK will go back to ignoring the abduction issue, saying it's resolved, on top of resuming it's nuclear tests, depending on how things go with the US.

I don't trust North Korea in anything they say.

Too late. Japan should offer the money long ago to prevent the nuclear test. 5 years Abe era, NK accomplished everything, thanks to the hostile Abe govt and pivot to war.

Thanks Zichi for stating the obvious, while I understand some may not like it & not like it stated in those kind of terms, there ARE indeed more serious issues at stake.

B.l. SharmaToday 05:25 pm JST

Resolution of the abduction of Japanese citizens issue with North Korea ,will undoubtedly boost PM Abe's ratings among public in Japan

Would undoubtedly boost his ratings, more like. Abe will never make any progress on that.

"Nobody cares" is sort of a childish excuse they tend to come up because they don't have anything of value to say otherwise. Obviously, every decent human being cares. Guess they can't care to be one.

Always curious as to reasoning behind the nobody cares commentary.

Clearly, it's news, people comment and they do care.

The abductions, for a start. If it was a loved one, I'd certainly care. Years or decades after the event.

Perhaps at the time it was impossible to do anything concrete over the issue. We just don't know what machinations were in place at the time, to prevent further action.

A Japanese government source told Reuters in mid-March that Japan was considering seeking a summit between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Kim to discuss Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents decades ago.

hahaha yes and decades ago is when you should have done something. At this point the world could rid NK of their nukes which is all anyone cares about. Japan please stop barking nobody cares

Resolution of the abduction of Japanese citizens issue with North Korea ,will undoubtedly boost PM Abe's ratings among public in Japan and he will win third term election of LDP due in September.

If this finally resolves the kidnapping issue then well done!

Not going to bet on this one!