North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stated that "the time has come to prepare for war more than ever," in a statement made today, Thursday. This comes as U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that Japan's effort to hold a summit with North Korea is "a good thing," and he reiterated his administration's readiness to engage in talks with Pyongyang without preconditions. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Biden discussed strengthening defense and intelligence relations to confront threats from North Korea and China during an official visit to Washington.
The U.S. endorsement of potential talks between Japan and North Korea comes at a time when its own efforts to reopen communication lines with Pyongyang have faltered. During a press conference in the White House garden with Kishida, Biden stated, "We welcome our allies' opportunity to start a dialogue with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. As I have said many times, we are open to dialogue ourselves without preconditions with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea."
Kishida, for his part, said, "The window for discussion with North Korea is open... establishing a meaningful relationship between Japan and North Korea is in the interest of both Japan and North Korea and can be very beneficial for peace and stability in the region." The Biden administration has repeatedly expressed its openness to talks with Kim since Biden took office in 2021, but it has not received any response at all. Kim and former President Donald Trump held three meetings during the latter's presidency, which did little to curb North Korea's advanced nuclear and missile programs. Biden and Kishida indicated that any talks should lead to a swift resolution of the issue of Japanese abductees held by North Korea.
