By Hiroshi Tajima
VLADIVOSTOK, Russian Far East — Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is now visiting Russia, met with South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon in Vladivostok on Sept. 11. They agreed on bilateral cooperation between Japan and South Korea and trilateral cooperation with the U.S. toward the denuclearization of North Korea.
Abe touched on a summit between the two Koreas scheduled for Sept. 18-20 and said, “I hope it will lead to concrete moves toward the North’s denuclearization.” Lee replied, “(The inter-Korean summit) will also contribute to the restart of dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.”
Next month will mark the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration in 1998. Abe said, “I’d like to cooperate with President Moon Jae-in to make the occasion as an impetus for building future-oriented relations between Japan and South Korea,” calling on the South Korean president to visit Japan.
