Japan's Prime Minister Seeks Summit with Kim Jong Un, North Korea Confirms
North Korea claims that Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed a desire to meet with leader Kim Jong Un, but North Korea insists that any summit would depend on Japan tolerating its weapons program and disregarding past abductions of Japanese nationals. Japan acknowledges efforts to arrange a summit but rejects North Korea's preconditions. Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, stated that a summit won't improve relations unless Japan stops focusing on the abduction issue and interfering with North Korea's "sovereign right." The potential summit is seen as a way for Kim to drive a wedge between the U.S. and its allies, while Kishida aims to address the emotional abduction issue to boost his approval rating.