In what could hit the US-Japan relations badly, a report claims that Japan and North Korea held secret talks in July this year without telling the US about it. Given when the US proposals of North Korea’s denuclearization are falling apart, this is a sensational report and could trigger ripples in the international arena.
- Has Japan Started to Support China’s OBOR Proactively?
- Japan to Partner India to Counter Rising China Military Power
US officials expressed disgust over the fact that while the US kept Tokyo in the loop of all its dealings with North Korea, Japan did not even let the US know about its engagements with North Korea.
North Korea-Japan Met In Vietnam: Report
The report claiming about the North Korea-Japan meeting in Vietnam was carried in the Washington Post. The report further claims that the Japanese officials have acknowledged the fact that Japan cannot rely on the US every time to negotiate with North Korea on its behalf. Japanese officials feel that Japan must directly engage with North Korea to bring back the Japanese citizens abducted in North Korea.
During the US-North Korea summit in Singapore in June, Donald Trump did claim to have touched upon the issue of Japanese abductees held in North Korea. But the joint statement that followed did not touch upon the issue or even made a meagre mention of it.
The US-North Korea peace talks were hailed by the global community as a new instigation of peace and global denuclearization. But over the course of time, things have gone back to square one and North Korea seems to have turned down all the proposals made by the US.
The US which earlier assured that North Korea will denuclearise soon is now seen slamming North Korea for the continuation of its nuclear programmes. The US has also been urging other nations to impose or retain sanctions on North Korea to exert pressure for denuclearisation. But the big question is, can the US and North Korea ever come to terms with each other?
