Japan expects constructive discussions at inter-Korean summit

"Japan expects there to be constructive discussions toward resolving various issues at the historic inter-Korean summit, the top government spokesman said Friday."

Japan's already doing its best to derail the talks so that Abe can remain relevant and push his agenda of Constitutional reform forward, and keep NK an easy enemy to take pressure off of domestic issues, so I think they should just ask Japan not to come. They've made it clear they want everything to be Japan's way, or not at all; they want the abductee issue at the forefront, they want Dokdo -- Korea's territory -- to be taken off maps and even cakes, they don't want to talk about comfort women, wartime atrocities, and government apologies.

They can "expect" all they want, but again, Japan should be asked not to partake in any discussions because it's pretty clear they are not at all interested in anything constructive.

Japan should be asked not to partake in any discussions because it's pretty clear they are not at all interested in anything constructive.

Amen. Japan is barking dog on the sideline wanting to solve the abductee issue 50 years after the fact when much bigger issues are at steak

They've made it clear they want everything to be Japan's way, or not at all

smithinjapan - That nicely summarises the approach Japan seems to take in any international negotiations, and it never works. You'd think by now that someone would have realised that compromising means you get some of the things you want.

Many people will never accept that China, U.S. and Russia, are the main players in the Pacific region, and they like pretending that vassal States like South Korea, North Korea and Japan, are actually relevant, rather than simple pawns.

@Cogito ergo sum: yeah, sure, it's only an INTRA Korean affair, this is why Kim met Chinese president and he will meet Trump too.

@Clamenza: if you mentioned that or not, it's irrelevant. You should have understood my point.

Hopefully they fixed the mousse issue.

"The fact that Japan was excluded by these talks, it's only a sign that they are more a facade than something concrete" -- [sarcasm]Yeah, without Japan, the most important entity in the Solar System, it can't possibly be genuine or relevant. [/sarcasm]

I could take seriously these events, in terms of REAL WILL to bring peace and stability in the region, only if we had got a new six-party talks, like it happened many times already. This was the true way for regional peace, with all the six parties involved. These bilateral summits look like a simple facade, and they can't bring any real progress for regional peace.

This new modus operandi can make happy anti-Russian and anti-Japanese people, but it can't be taken seriously by nobody with a more objective view of the things. There wasn't objectively any good reason to give up on the six-party talks system, except if you think Trump is THE ONLY MAN the world needed for global peace! Because this is apparently what people like @Matt are induced to think because of the current scenario.

@Matt: Really? Is it mainly an intra Korean problem? Please, remember with which order these bilateral meetings are happening:

FIRST North Korea/CHINA

Second North Korea/South Korea

Third North Korea/U.S.

Sure, it's only an intra Korean thing.

China is actually the leader in all this process, and you think there will be a Korean reunification under the American flag. Okay.

Japan expects constructive discussions at inter-Korean summit

Moon: "Hey Kim, how do you like that Mango Mousse Dessert".

Let's hope their discussions result in more peace in the east at least. Wishful thinking I know.

The fact that Japan was excluded by these talks, it's only a sign that they are more a facade than something concrete. But more than the Japanese exclusion, it's meaningful the fact we are speaking about bilateral summits, rather than a multilateral summit, including all the main actors in the region, discussing the main problems together: China, Russia, U.S., North Korea, South Korea, Japan. Yeah, ALSO Russia. And the most relevant actors are actually China, Russia, and the U.S.

These bilateral summits show there's not any real solution in the long term. At the moment, China won, since the U.S. were forced to give up on their warmongering rhetoric, after the China/North Korea summit.

How about Japan requests, Japan would be hopeful that, Japan would appreciate it if.....

You forgot one....Abe URGES!

It's the translators fault, the banner here does read JAPAN Today, not Korea Today, so what do you expect? (sarcastic comment there, as too many people here have a REALLY hard time understanding sarcasm)

The only issues Japan is concerned with are its own. They think thier problems are the world's. Nobody cares about the abduction issue. They need to engage in diplomacy with north Korea and resolve it themselves.

@Matt: today, the true key for economic growth is China, not the collapsing West...

@Clamenza: so do you think what is preventing Korean peninsula reunification is the issue of the Japanese abducted? Nobody cares about that, probably not even to the Japanese government that is using that like a tool to pander to the domestic consensus (it's the same thing that South Korea does with the comfort women issue), and you think it's SO relevant to the extent it could damage the peace process? Yeah, let's pretend that the main problem isn't under which influence the reunification should happen (China or the U.S.), it's fault of the Japanese abducted! Chinese and American interests in the peninsula are so irrelevant compared to this Japanese issue, to the extent it could ruin everything.

@Matt: I don't know how and where you studied history, and how you inform yourself about modern geopolitical problems, but what you are saying about the Korean peninsula crisis being mainly a Korean only problem, is absolutely naive. South Korea is occupied by the American army, and recently the THAAD thing had made China angry as hell. So, from one side you had Kim missiles tests, and on the other side THAAD, American/South Korean military exercitations on North Korean borders, the U.S. accusing China that it wasn't doing enough to calm her puppy Kim, etc. And you are saying it's only a "Korean internal business". I don't know which Hollywood movie you watched.

Alex80 - You drew about 10 different conclusions there.

All wrong.

Perhaps you missed where I said; "A dead issue". But Abe would be dumb enough to make it an issue.

Abe needs Kim to be the bogeyman to have any hope of clinging to power.

@Heckleberry: Japan is, indeed, IRRELEVANT. This is why people who say if Japan was involved in these talks, it would have ruined everything, are incoherent. At least they should try to be coherent. How can an irrelevant Country ruin the talks, when whatever it says is irrelevant?

But in their incoherence, some people want to portray Japan both like irrelevant AND a threat for regional peace. Hate makes people blind.

Anyway, whatever China and the U.S. decide, is way more relevant than what both the Koreas want. Again, deal with it. This is the difference between being a superpower and a vassal state.

cucashopboy: "smithinjapan - That nicely summarises the approach Japan seems to take in any international negotiations, and it never works. You'd think by now that someone would have realised that compromising means you get some of the things you want."

Well, there's a reason they are terrible at diplomacy; they seem to think the same societal practices that they force on people here will work overseas and everyone will just shrug and say "shouganai", then they call it regrettable when it doesn't work, or even threaten to hold funds that are due. They really need to work on negotiation and diplomacy -- SK seems to have it down a lot better.

Hopefully they fixed the mousse issue.

Yes. They will have eaten it by now. I hope that it tasted good.

I find it hard to consider at this stage Kim being willing to give up power for unification. This is a "feel good" moment in the history of these two countries and hopefully it will expand and grow.

Japan should just sit on the sidelines and take a wait and see attitude. Japan SHOULD be praising the two sides for making progress and showing a willingness to support both, but Abe can't, because he will lose credibility and lose the target of all his aggression.

@slowguy2: clearly you missed the point of my whole post, and also the post where I clearly said Japan is indeed irrelevant. Simply, I believe that the six-party talks were way more constructive for the regional peace than these weird and sudden bilateral summits, that I see mainly as a facade. The geopolitical situation in the Pacific region is way more complicated than "hugs and kisses" can suggest.

The current Iran situation shows how much credibility these deals can have, when the regime of a Country isn't liked by the U.S.

But people can believe whatever they want.

I'm sure the abduction issue will be sorted out in time. Its very early days in this process although it is moving at quite a pace now, surprisingly quick. I sincerely hope Trump is on his best behavior when he meets Kim. There is little doubt that the actions lead by the U.S, the sanctions and so on, brought this situation about. The simple fact is that before Trump it was business as usual on the Korean peninsula with escalating tests and nuclear development. If peace is achieved, it will be a huge coup for Trump. Whether you like the guy or his policies, you cannot deny how this whole situation came about.

The abduction issue is really not the main problem. I am waiting for this problem surrounding the disputed islands to flair up. I sincerely hope that, as part of this process, Japan and South Korea or a unified Korea can come to some sort of arrangement on those islands. Show good will through a duel use scenario. That would be another great outcome.

vassal States like South Korea, North Korea and Japan, are actually relevant, rather than simple pawns.

Err, I dont know if you watch television or read newspaper or indeed know that the two countries involved are North Korea and South Korea, but I think you will find that if there is no good will between these two countries, the whole historical situation continues regardless of what China, Russia or America wants. They are all on the sidelines. This is essentially a Korean issue that needs to be solved by Koreans.

Japan, just sit this one out and watch with quiet anticipation. You're not an active player in this talk, and neither will you be one when Trump meets Kim. Your needy attention grabbing efforts are more and more pathetic by the minute. Maybe bleat some more about the Mango mousse dessert?

@Matt: I don't know how and where you studied history, and how you inform yourself about modern geopolitical problems, but what you are saying about the Korean peninsula crisis being mainly a Korean only problem, is absolutely naive. South Korea is occupied by the American army, and recently the THAAD thing had made China angry as hell. So, from one side you had Kim missiles tests, and on the other side THAAD, American/South Korean military exercitations on North Korean borders, the U.S. accusing China that it wasn't doing enough to calm her puppy Kim, etc. And you are saying it's only a "Korean internal business". I don't know which Hollywood movie you watched.

It is primarily a Korean issue. Did you read the document that came out of the meeting in English? It was all intra-Korean. There was a single mention of the U.S and China. One. The entire document was written for domestic audiences in North and South Korea to get them both eager for peace and eventually unification.

If there is unification, Seoul will be the capital and it will be a unified, democratic country. That is a great outcome for Koreans, its a great outcome for Japan and its a great outcome for the United States. Its perhaps, maybe, not such a great outcome for China but it probably depends how scaled back the the U.S military becomes in a unified Korea. The fact that its a democracy however....That will always concern them.

The only issues Japan is concerned with are its own. They think thier problems are the world's. Nobody cares about the abduction issue. They need to engage in diplomacy with north Korea and resolve it themselves.

I think it will be resolved. After all, under a situation in which peace is being pursued what exactly would be the point in North Korea halting progress on the issue? Just a thorn in the side that doesn't need to be there. Will be interesting if the U.S mentions this issue in their talks with the North.

Imagine a united Korea.

That's got to be a nightmare scenario for Japan. If they thought the never ending and childish anti-Japanese acts from South Korea was bad, with the Dodko issue and comfort women statues being built across the world, imagine now adding North Korea to the mix.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government views the past abduction of Japanese nationals as a priority.

Only as a priority NOW because any positive movement would save his own arse. He has literally had YEARS to make it a priority and only changed his mind because Trump got involved and now he is on those coat tails hoping for a reprieve at home.

Japan's already doing its best to derail the talks so that Abe can remain relevant and push his agenda of Constitutional reform forward, and keep NK an easy enemy to take pressure off of domestic issues

@Smithie - Truth bomb.

Pro-Japan at-all-costers will disagree.

The fact that Japan was excluded by these talks, it's only a sign that they are more a facade than something concrete. 

@Alex80 - Alex, meet reality. Reality, meet Alex.

A united Korea, under which sphere of influence? These fantasy political scenarios are pure nonsense, currently.

I trust the South Koreans and Americans will keep Abe well clear of Kim and any damage he could do to the peace process with the dead abduction issue.

Theres too much at stake.

This is purely an INTRA-KOREAN affair, why at all would anyone want to throw spanner-works in there, I just can't understand. Just party- pooping for pooping sake ? Please STAY OUT !!!

Japan demands, Japan expects, Japan wants.....

How about Japan requests, Japan would be hopeful that, Japan would appreciate it if.....

China is actually the leader in all this process, and you think there will be a Korean reunification under the American flag. Okay.

It will be unification under a unified Korean flag. How could it be anything else? How could either the North or the South tolerate anything else?

There won't be Korean unification under the Chinese flag when you have 40 million South Koreans who love their freedom, versus 25 million rather poor North Koreans who will love it once they can become a proper part of it and are dependent on the good will of the South and its Western allies to achieve that goal.

North Korea cannot progress until peace with the South is achieved and a much stronger relationship with the South is achieved.