Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said now is the time to realize North Korea's denuclearization, showing his willingness toward a comprehensive resolution of Pyongyang's nuclear and missile development as well as the abduction issue, during a speech at a meeting of the Yomiuri International Economic Society (YIES) on Wednesday.
"Now is the best time to realize the complete denuclearization of North Korea, and we have the greatest opportunity to solve the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea," Suga said at the Imperial Hotel in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo.
"[Japan] is prepared to provide economic assistance to North Korea when it realizes denuclearization and solves the abduction issue," he added.
His remarks indicated that if the North Korean issues are comprehensively resolved, Japan will normalize diplomatic relations with North Korea and subsequently extend economic cooperation based on the 2002 Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration.
Concerning the agreement on "full denuclearization of North Korea" at the U.S.-North Korea summit meeting in June, Suga emphasized that it was a result of the policy maintained by Tokyo and Washington to impose pressure on North Korea.
Suga said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe "drew in U.S. President Donald Trump and created a framework involving him to put pressure on North Korea."
"This exhibits Prime Minister Abe's diplomatic ability," Suga added.
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