▲ Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
Japanese media reported that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked U.S. President Donald Trump during last month's bilateral summit to arrange a Japan-North Korea summit if a U.S.-North Korea summit takes place.
According to the Asahi Shimbun on October 7, Prime Minister Takaichi reportedly told families of Japanese abductees and others during a meeting at the Prime Minister's Official Residence the previous day that she had asked President Trump during last month's summit in the U.S. to convey a request to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to meet with her if a U.S.-North Korea summit is realized.
Asahi explained that this request was made to discuss the abductee issue with Chairman Kim.
Since taking office, Prime Minister Takaichi has repeatedly expressed her willingness to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to resolve the issue of Japanese abductees.
The previous day's meeting was attended by families of abductees, including Takuya Yokota—the younger brother of Megumi Yokota, who was abducted in 1977—as well as lawmakers from the bipartisan Diet Members' Association for the Rescue of Abductees. They reported the results of their visit to the United States last month to Prime Minister Takaichi.
Katsunobu Kato, a lawmaker belonging to the association, told reporters after the meeting that Prime Minister Takaichi stated, "We secured a firm commitment of support on the abductee issue during the U.S.-Japan summit."
Meanwhile, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a protest with China over the Chinese Foreign Ministry recently omitting Prime Minister Takaichi's official title and referring to her only by name during an official briefing.
According to Jiji Press, Japanese Foreign Press Secretary Toshihiro Kitamura stated that Japan protested to the Chinese side, saying, "Even if there are differences in positions, showing respect to a nation's leader is a matter of common international courtesy."
Earlier, during a regular briefing on September 30, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun referred to Prime Minister Takaichi simply by her name, "Sanae Takaichi," while answering a question regarding discussions on Japan's potential acquisition of nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered submarines.
Given that the title of prime minister was also omitted from the briefing transcript published on the Chinese Foreign Ministry's website, it was presumed that the spokesperson's omission was not a slip of the tongue.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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