TOKYO – U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday met with family members of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea decades ago, renewing his commitment to bring about the prompt return of the victims to their loved ones.
Together with new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Trump’s brief meeting with the family members took place at the State Guest House in Tokyo, where the two leaders held their first in-person talks.
Trump told them that his administration is aligned with Japan on the issue and “we always have this in mind.”
“We will do everything,” he said.
During his first presidency, Trump also met with the relatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea.
Japan officially lists 17 of its citizens as having been abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s, but suspects agents were involved in many more disappearances.
Five were repatriated in 2002, and since then, no tangible progress has been made in securing the return of others.
Trump has repeatedly touted his good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, although their denuclearization talks collapsed in 2019, and has voiced his desire to rekindle diplomatic exchanges with North Korea.
Neither Japan nor the United States has diplomatic relations with North Korea.
AloJapan.com