Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a regular press conference on the same day, "Prime Minister Ishiba will visit the United States and meet with President Trump in Washington DC.
"Through this visit, I hope to build a firm relationship of trust and cooperation and elevate the Japan-U.S. alliance to an even higher level," he said.
However, the Japanese government is still deciding on the specific dates for the meeting and whether or not there will be a joint press conference.
"This is the first face-to-face summit between Prime Minister Ishiba and President Trump, so we hope to build a personal relationship through a frank exchange of views," Minister Lim said.
"While building this relationship, I would like to share our understanding of various issues, including security and the economy, confirm our cooperation, and elevate the Japan-U.S. alliance to an even higher level."
In response to a question about whether Japan would use the talks to request the U.S.'s cooperation in resolving the issue of Japanese abductions by North Korea, Minister Lim said, "The solution to the issue will depend on Japan's response as well as the U.S.'
"Close cooperation with the United States is important," he said, adding, "We will also communicate closely with the United States in our response to North Korea."
He continued, "President Trump met with the families of abduction victims twice during his first administration."
He also noted, "I believe it was a great achievement that Japan conveyed its views on the abduction issue to North Korean Chairman Kim Jung Eun at the U.S.-North Korea summit."
Meanwhile, South Korea has yet to even speak to President Trump. As President Trump's trade protectionism intensifies, neighboring countries such as Japan have been proactively engaging in summit diplomacy.
In contrast, South Korea's problem of lacking a playmaker is becoming apparent.
2025/02/05 09:53 KST
Copyrights(C) Edaily wowkorea.jp 88