Press Releases

Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Telephone Talk

January 21, 2019

On January 21, commencing at around 9 a.m. for approximately 20 minutes, Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs, held a Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministers' telephone talk with the Honorable Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State of the United States. The overview of the telephone talk is as follows.

1. Foreign Minister Kono was briefed in detail by Secretary of State Pompeo on the current status of the U.S.-North Korea negotiations, including the recent meeting between Secretary of State Pompeo and Kim Yong-chol, Deputy Chairman of the Workers’ Party in North Korea. In addition, based on this, the two foreign ministers closely aligned their policies concerning the issue of North Korea, including their response to the upcoming second U.S.-North Korea Summit scheduled to be held around in late-February.

2. The two foreign ministers shared the view that the full implementation of the relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions remains crucial, and that Japan and the U.S., as well as Japan, the U.S., and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will continue to coordinate closely.

3. The two foreign ministers confirmed that Japan and the U.S. will continue working together towards the early resolution of the abductions issue.

4. The two foreign ministers shared the view that they would coordinate to hold a Japan-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting around mid-February if circumstances allow for both sides.


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