JAPANESE Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to visit Mongolia to discuss a decades-long issue with North Korea.
Kishida plans to meet with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and ask for his cooperation in resolving the issue of Japanese nationals allegedly abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Japanese leader is anticipated to discuss with the Mongolian leader the need of bringing back the victims to their home country as the abductees’ relatives are getting old as well as call for support to establish a “high-level” bilateral dialogue with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un.
In February, hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough between the North and the South was anticipated after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, stated that future relations between North Korea and Japan is likely, adding that a visit could happen as long as Tokyo will not make the issue of decades-old abduction of Japanese citizens an obstacle in building ties with Pyongyang.
If the trip pushes through, it will be the first time a Japanese Prime Minister will visit Mongolia since 2016.
Tensions between the two Koreas escalate after Pyongyang about 3,500 balloons of various sizes across the border with the South between May 28 and June 2. The balloons which contained rubbish and manure was a revenge attack after South Korean activists sent anti-North Korea leaflets across the border.
Japan has often looked up to Mongolia to act as a mediator in dealing with the abduction issue with North Korea.
