Japan to explore possibility of Abe having summit with N Korea's Kim

Abe and Trump will be on the "same page" I'm sure. That is if Trump ever ends up meeting Kim. May is a long way off especially when it comes to the up again, down again, relations with N. Korea.

I would think that Trump might want Xi, Moon, and Abe at the summit as well. Or we could lock Un and Trump in a room and see which one walks out....or padlock the door and throw away the key?

They should offer him free entrance to Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea and he will come quick.

I guess Abe is really feeling the pressure from the Moritomo scandal and this must be his way of trying to get more support for his gov't. "Hey look at me, I'm meeting with Kim Jong Un too, I'm an important world leader!"

I wouldn't be surprised if the North Koreans refused a summit. What do they have to gain from it. Nothing.

trying to divert attention from the fact that today Abe will address the Diet regarding his "rewriting" of documents about his scandal

Abe is pulling at straws, if I were in the LDP I would be doing my best to undermine his position as quickly as possible. It was only days ago that he was screaming against this.

Good to hear a pragmatic approach is being taken to resolve the kidnapping issue. A separate summit on this issue may be a good idea, but it will have to be contingent on denuclearization before talks over the normalization of relations can happen

Maybe Kim will also bring up the comfort women issue with Abe, ha ha.

MarkX, Abe will do anything to keep his PM job, trust me.

How is Abe even relevant in this issue? North Korea and South Korea to Abe, "Thanks but no thanks".

Mr Abe should concentrate on building better relations with South Korea and let them do the work.

I have been writing to DPRK leaders advising them never to forget or forgive how the USA and Japan devastated Korea in the past.

Instead of writing letters, why not go live there in their "paradise" and tell them face to face? Be cheaper too I'll bet!

North Korea doesn't want to meet with Japan in a top level summit

That's because North Korea sees itself as a big dog, while it sees Japan only as a lapdog of big dog USA

NK sees itself as only wanting to meet with other fellow big dogs

Abe will do anything to be pm for the olympics!

Sheesh, this is what Abe and the administration should have attempted a LONG time ago! Instead of following the U.S. and thinking war, think negotiations and peace.

Abe must really have a man-crush on Trump ! He's just trying to do the same thing as him all the time now !

The drowning man clutches at a Kim-shaped straw.

OMG!!! Japan this is so wrong on so many levels! WRT to abductee's you have done NOTHING since Koizumi san came back with some! NOTHING except some vague rhetoric

As for this summit if it happens, I cringe bigtime at trump & un supposedly trying to hammer something out....

BUT for Japan to say NOW it is considering meeting with NK, WTF!! Now is the time for Japan to say quiet & observe.

If Japan pursues this it will add significant complexity & stupidity to the situation, now is NOT a good time Japan, thinking cap please!

contingent on denuclearization 

Will never happen, look what is happening to the Iranian deal now that the USA has an emotionally unstable fool in charge. Kim would be nuts to give away the only bargaining chip he has.

lostrune2Today 02:34 pm JST

North Korea doesn't want to meet with Japan in a top level summit

That's because North Korea sees itself as a big dog, while it sees Japan only as a lapdog of big dog USA

NK sees itself as only wanting to meet with other fellow big dogs

Wow! That's some insight you have there. How do you know all this?

Ever since the Six Party Talks started (actually it started as a mere Three Party Talks) in 2003, North Korea has repeatedly stated that Japan is not qualified to be in the Six Party Talks, and that Japan is just allowed to be on the table only because on US insistence

This is definately a good idea, Mr.Abe can ask the "Supreme Generalissmo of North Korea" to release all those Japanese abductess directly and no need to seek other's country assistances! You know many countries dont want to get involve this trouble!

Amazing effect the falsified Finance Ministry papers are having on the world of J -diplomacy . Is this coming from the same Shinzo Abe who only a few days ago was urging against talking with NK unless it categorically agrees to gives up its nukes before any summit? Anything to change media headlines and appear as a pro-active ,strong leader ...that pesky Moritomo thing.

Dam right, Marcelito! Dam right..!

lostrune2Today 02:34 pm JST

North Korea doesn't want to meet with Japan in a top level summit

That's because North Korea sees itself as a big dog, while it sees Japan only as a lapdog of big dog USA

NK sees itself as only wanting to meet with other fellow big dogs

Wow! That's some insight you have there. How do you know all this?

Too late the hero! Almost half of the cake is gone!

It's high time for Shinzo to jettison his America First Policy and diligently start a Japan and Okinawa First Policy STAT!

The latest snub by the USA, SK and NK in their Olympics secret peace talks where Tokyo was not even aware should serve as a wake up call.

Simply, a dog goes wherever its master goes.

Flip-flops and lack of independent foreign policy.

Abe can freeze pachinko profits. legally. Then he has better position than Trump or Moon.

Trump will meet Kim. Abe will meet Kim.

Abductee issue is but a minor issue at this stage. The nuclear and missiles issue is important as the reason for negotiations, but cannot expect total disarmament. The nukes and the missiles will probably stay.

The key is to find out exactly whose ally N Korea will be. Will it be with China, or Russia or US..?

N Korea has been semi-allies with those that provided trade and economic assistance, but have not actually contracted to become allies with any other nation.

First, Japan has to make sure N Korea actually will become an ally with Japan. Then the abductee issue can begin top be resolved.

Go for it ....have some sushi with Kim..

haha why don't you wait for the big dog (America) to have their meeting first, then you can ride the coat tails as usual

PM Abe, you’ll be elected third term and be the head of state at the 2020 Olympics if you help the evacuees of the earthquake still in temporary housing, the aging population, the declining birthdate, the economy, the pension system, etc.

Well, he can refill the glasses, why not ?

Too late and too late and too old thinking. The only thing that left for Japan to do is to put money on the table voluntarily. I don't know exactly how much, but Abe must make an offer that NK can't reject. This is one time deal and this is the last chance for Japan to lead.

Does any of this really involve Japan? At the moment it invoves North Korea, South Korea and the USA.

Maybe in the not too distant future it will be a matter for (united) Korea and the USA.

In my lifetime I have seen many seemingly unsolvable disputes get solved.

elephant200, I assume that you are supporting my idea. Abe said he will do anything to get people back, I hope he didn't lie this time.

I believe Japan's best option, both for security, trade and any chance of providing a chance of power balance in the region is to spend its time making efforts with South Korea, I believe South Korea and Japan have far more to gain from a better relationship than to lose. Both have similar political systems, both are US allies, both extend freedoms to its citizenry that other countries in the region do not.

Let South Korea have that island they already occupy, make some real apologies about some still simmering issues around the war, and start working together better as I think that relationship is going to be crucial in the future as the region deals with shifts in the power and economic balance, and suspect the US may be of less help if the current administration remains in power.

Yubaru, Abe is not a strong leader, he bluffs a lot.

Flip flopping is weak.

He can't explain something that is not true, anyhow. He can explain that Abe is trying to except drowning by shame and is appearing "more and more cooperative and peaceloving with each passing day". It's a normal behaviour for rats that feel the ship going down. They try to rush to the "winning" side.

How does one engage in dialog with a madman? North Korea playing its old tricks again. Abe and Kim, now there's an uncomfortable moment of leader theatre!

I have been writing to DPRK leaders advising them never to forget or forgive how the USA and Japan devastated Korea in the past.