Japanese official: discussion finished for resuming talks with N. Korea

Isao Iijima, an adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, said Thursday that when he visited North Korea last week, he finished working-level talks for the proposed resumption of negotiations for establishing formal diplomatic relations between the two countries. His remark suggested that Japan had completed preparations for resuming inter-governmental talks and holding a summit with the North.

“Working-level talks were all done. The rest depends on a decision by the prime minister and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga,” he said about his visit to the North, expressing his view that Tokyo was ready to begin negotiations with Pyongyang over resolving the long-standing abduction issue and forging diplomatic ties with Pyongyang as long as both sides make a political decision to do so.

Iijima’s remarks indicate that he exchanged views over major bilateral issues with his North Korean counterpart in Pyongyang. Although some observers say that Pyongyang-Tokyo negotiations for establishing diplomatic ties could be resumed earlier than expected, there are mixed outlooks for such talks.

Japanese daily Tokyo Shimbun reported that the Japanese government aims to resume the negotiations as early as next month and that Mongolia, which maintains a good relationship with the North, is the likely venue for the talks. However, another daily Yomiuri Shimbun pointed out that Seoul and Washington have an increased distrust over Abe’s sending his special envoy to Pyongyang. The paper also cited criticisms that despite the will to resolve the abduction issue ahead of parliamentary elections, the Japanese prime minister did not have a concrete plan.

Iijima told reporters on Wednesday that there is not enough time before the elections for the upper house of the Diet, adding that the two sides have a “complicated puzzle to solve and many things to consider” before resuming the negotiations.