Japan-United States of America Relations
Telephone Talk between Foreign Minister Taro Kono and the Deputy Secretary of State of the United States John J. Sullivan
On March 30, commencing at 8:20 p.m. for approximately 20 minutes, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, held a telephone talk with Mr. John J. Sullivan, Deputy Secretary of State of the United States, who is the current Acting Secretary of State. The overview of the telephone talk is as follows.
1. As for the issue of North Korea, the two sides, Minister Kono and Deputy Secretary of State Sullivan reaffirmed the policy that the international community must maintain maximum pressure to urge North Korea to dismantle all of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner based on lessons from the past.
In addition, the two sides confirmed that they will closely coordinate to urge North Korea to take concrete actions toward the upcoming U.S.-North Korea Summit Meeting scheduled to be held by the end of May, and shared the view that Japan, the U.S., and the Republic of Korea will work closely together to resolve the abductions issue.
2. Furthermore, the two sides discussed the attack on the former Russian intelligence officer in the United Kingdom and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
3. Finally, the two sides agreed on close coordination toward the visit to the United States by Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, planned for April.