North Korea’s Kim Yo Jong Reveals Japan’s Summit Proposal: Will Kishida Take the Chance?

Kim Yo Jong, deputy director of the North Korean Workers’ Party, announced that she received a summit proposal from Japan. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan stated that he was unaware of the related reports but emphasized the importance of a summit with North Korea.

In a statement released to the Korean Central News Agency on the 25th, Deputy Director Kim said, “Recently, Kishida expressed his desire to meet with the Chairman of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as soon as possible through another channel.”

Kim emphasized that “as I mentioned before, what’s important in opening a new path for improving North Korea-Japan relations is Japan’s practical political decision. Simply wanting to hold a summit cannot resolve the distrust and misunderstanding between the two countries.”

Kim set the condition that the abduction issue should not be mentioned. Kim stressed, “If Japan continues to interfere in our sovereign rights and obsesses over the abduction issue, which they have neither the solution nor the understanding for, the prime minister’s plan will only be seen as a popularity stunt.”

Kim said, “If our sovereign rights and safety interests are respected from a fair and equal stance, the strengthening of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s self-defense force will not be a security threat to Japan under any circumstances.”

In response, Kishida said at the House of Councilors Budget Committee on the 25th afternoon, “I don’t know about the report” but added, “As I’ve said before, a summit is important to resolve various issues, including the Japan-North Korea relationship and the abduction issue, and we are responding to North Korea in various ways at the direct control level of the prime minister.”

Kishida, who is recording the lowest approval rating ever, is believed to be seeking to use a North Korea-Japan summit as a turning point. During the Shinzo Abe administration, Kishida served as foreign minister for four years and eight months. It seems he is trying to turn the tide of approval ratings through his specialty, diplomacy. From North Korea’s perspective, when the sense of isolation is growing as South Korea and Cuba unexpectedly establish diplomatic relations, a North Korea-Japan summit could be a way to change the atmosphere. However, the two sides’ disagreement on the abduction issue is significant, and there are many hurdles to overcome before the actual confirmation, according to most experts’ analysis.