Pence Hold Talks In Tokyo, Discuss Denuclearization Of Korean Peninsula

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held Tuesday a meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence, during which the two sides had reached an agreement on the necessity to implement the resolutions of the UN Security Council to tackle the North Korean nuclear issue.

TOKYO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 13th November, 2018) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held Tuesday a meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence, during which the two sides had reached an agreement on the necessity to implement the resolutions of the UN Security Council to tackle the North Korean nuclear issue.

"Today, we have agreed on the need to fully implement the UN Security Council resolutions on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Abe said at a joint press conference with Pence following their meeting.

According to the prime minister, Japan and the United States confirmed their intention to pursue bilateral cooperation in order to prevent ship-to-ship oil supplies to North Korea in violation of the UN Security Council's resolutions.

"North Korea is rich in natural resources and has a hard-working labor force. If problems are solved, North Korea will have a bright future. Japan and the United States will work together to solve these problems," Abe added.

The Japanese prime minister also said that Washington would be helping Tokyo to resolve the long-standing issue of the Japanese citizens abducted by the North Korean security services in the 1970s and 1980s, which has been one of the key factors preventing Tokyo and Pyongyang from improving bilateral relations.

The US vice president, in turn, stressed that the United States would continue putting pressure on Pyongyang and would not lift its sanctions until North Korea achieves a complete and verifiable denuclearization.

Pence also noted that Washington and Pyongyang made great progress in implementing the agreements reached during the historic summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in June.

He also mentioned that Japan would receive 10 US F-35 fighter jets by the end of the year, while another six aircraft would be delivered in 2019.

In 2011, the Japanese government approved of the purchase of 42 US F-35A jets. In February, media reported that Japan might buy around 25 additional jets from the United States at about $100 million each.

During his four-nation tour, the US vice president will also visit Singapore, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Pence is expected to take part in the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United States in Singapore, along with the East Asia Summit, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Papua New Guinea.

Pyongyang has been subject to numerous UN sanctions over the past 10 years for its nuclear and ballistic missile tests. The sanctions target North Korea's exports of natural resources, such as coal, imports of weapons, oil, petroleum products and any financial and material support that could contribute to the development of the country's missile or nuclear programs. Tokyo has repeatedly said that it witnessed suspicious ship-to-ship transfers of goods to North Korea that may be coming in violation of the UN sanctions.

During the first Trump-Kim summit in Singapore, the two leaders affirmed their commitment to work toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for the suspension of US-South Korea joint military drills.