Japan-United States of America Relations

March 9, 2018

On March 9, commencing at shortly after 8:50 a.m. for approximately 30 minutes, Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, held a telephone talk with the Honorable Donald Trump, President of the United States of America. The overview is as follows.

  1. President Trump explained that Mr. Chung Eui-yong, Chief of the National Security Office of the Republic of Korea (ROK), and others, who were visiting the United States reported on the results of the recent inter-Korean meeting, including that State Chairman Kim Jong-un was committed to the denuclearization of North Korea, that North Korea aspired to achieve peace with the United States, and that State Chairman Kim Jong-un sought to hold dialogue with President Trump.
    The President also stated that these moves by North Korea were outcomes of the severe sanctions that had been implemented, as well as maximum pressure including U.S. military capabilities. The President then added that he is ready to meet with State Chairman Kim Jong-un while continuing with the close monitoring of the situation.
  2. Prime Minister Abe thanked the President for informing him in this manner. Prime Minister noted that he welcomed North Korea's change, commencing dialogue on the premise of denuclearization, that the North Korean moves were the outcome of the maximum pressure based on close cooperation between the President and himself, and that North Korea must show concrete actions towards its complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization.
  3. In response, the President explained that it is a matter of course that the United States will continue to implement sanctions and apply military pressure.
  4. Furthermore, the Prime Minister stated that Japan and the United States are 100% together, and explained his will to start making concrete preparation for his upcoming visit to the United States in early April after the passage of the budget, and to hold talks with President Trump, to which the President responded affirmatively.
  5. The leaders shared the view that the two countries will cooperate toward the resolution of the abductions issue.

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