For the U.S. to insist on the elimination of missiles that can reach Japan will be difficult, as long as U.S. bases remain in Japan. From the North Korean perspective, they're vulnerable to U.S. bases and power projection.

True. If I were Kim, I would not give up my conventional warhead missiles either. They are a deterrent.

It will definitely be tough to get NK to give up its medium range missiles, but if they completely denuclearize and are permanently banned from future development and missile testing, maybe it’s not too bad

What they could do is this: NK denuclearizes completely if the US pulls all of its forces out of the korean peninsula.

In addition to that, NK promises NEVER to threaten Japan or SK militarily in any way whatsoever, and the US promises to do the same for NK.

I think the US-China-South Korea consortium should force an Article 9 Constitution on North Korea and then there will be two countries who denounce war. After NK accepts (or is forced to accept) this so-called “Peace” Constituion, Abe can stop pushing for a “War” constitution and the US forces can withdraw from both South Korea and Japan. Well, except for Okinawa, of course. The Tokyo-LDP gov’t doesn’t care about Okinawa.

In other words, fat chance of this happening.

When is the US going to denuclearise? When is the US going to remove its bases from Japan and S Korea? When the US agrees to this then NK should also agree to denuclearise and stop development of their missile program.

Hahaha! Yeah, because we all know that if the US just walks out of Japan NK will suddenly be besties with them and give everything up.

Some posters here are so naive. In this world, there is good and bad. The U.S. A. will not pull out of Korea and/or Japan. And I can write with certainty as I was stationed in both countries. Some of you really need to face reality. I do not like war, but a strong country/military reduces the chance of war.