Tokyo has been striving to normalize diplomatic relations with North Korea and solve problems around Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear programs, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a policy speech at a plenary session of Japan’s lower house of parliament on Monday.

"We seek to comprehensively resolve outstanding issues of concern, such as the abductions (of Japanese citizens by North Korea’s special services - TASS), matters around the missile and nuclear programs, in addition to putting our sad past behind us and normalizing diplomatic relations between Japan and North Korea," Kishida said. To settle the above-mentioned issues, he said he was ready to hold a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un without any preconditions.
Speaking about Tokyo’s relations with Seoul, the Japanese premier remarked that South Korea was "an important neighbor who should be cooperated with in solving various issues facing the international community," while Japan still had a range of unresolved issues with China, he added. However, he said that Tokyo was open to dialogue with Beijing on all the issues and was set to foster stable bilateral ties.
The Japanese PM traditionally delivers a policy speech to highlight major goals and the fundamental aspects of the government’s domestic and foreign policies before the opening of a new parliamentary session.