WASHINGTON -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed Thursday that Japan and the United States will not lift sanctions against North Korea until it takes concrete steps toward denuclearization.
At a joint press conference following their meeting in Washington, Trump suggested a deal to formally end the Korean War could be reached during U.S.-North Korean leadership talks on Tuesday. He also vowed to raise the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by Pyongyang, as requested by Abe.
Abe and Trump held talks at the White House for about 1 hour 40 minutes, including a working lunch.
At the press conference, Trump stated his determination to follow Abe's wishes, saying he would "absolutely" discuss the abduction issue with North Korea.
Abe said: "Among all the world leaders, I think President Trump best understands [the abduction issue]. I think he'll explain the importance of the issue to Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong Un."
The prime minister also expressed a strong willingness to realize a Japan-North Korea summit, saying, "I believe the abduction issue must eventually be resolved between Chairman Kim and me."
Abe expressed Tokyo's readiness to provide economic assistance once Japan and North Korea have normalized diplomatic ties in line with the Pyongyang Declaration signed between the two countries in 2002.
Regarding pressure on Pyongyang, Abe said, "There will be no change at all in Japan's policy to seek the complete implementation of the successive U.N. Security Council resolutions."
He reiterated Japan's stance of maintaining pressure on North Korea until it takes concrete steps toward complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization, adding: "President Trump stated that until North Korea takes action, the sanctions will not be lifted. Japan's position is completely in line with that of the United States."
Trump said: "Maximum pressure is absolutely in effect. We don't use the term anymore because we're going into a friendly negotiation [with North Korea]." However, he added, "Perhaps ... I will be using it again" if negotiations did not go well.
The two leaders confirmed that after the U.S.-North Korea summit, Trump will directly tell Abe what he discussed with Kim.
Abe left for Canada on a government airplane to attend a Group of Seven summit meeting, arriving Thursday night.
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