North Korea Excludes Any Meetings with Japan

North Korea’s state news agency reported today, Friday, that Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui stated that North Korea is not interested in entering into dialogue with Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed his desire to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un "without any preconditions" and is personally overseeing efforts to hold the first summit of its kind between the leaders of the two countries in 20 years, in an attempt to ease longstanding tensions. However, North Korea indicated that it is not interested in holding a summit with Japan and will reject any discussions, suggesting no improvement in relations between the two countries. Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, stated she would welcome talks only if Japan is prepared for a new beginning without "obsession with the past." Tensions have escalated due to disputes including North Korea's abduction of Japanese citizens years ago and Japan's occupation of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945, during which forced labor and sexual slavery were used.