Maintaining behind-the-scene dialogue with North Korea: Japanese foreign minister

TOKYO: Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Monday that Japan is maintaining dialogue with North Korea to resolve long-standing issues on its nuclear and missile developments and on Japanese citizens abducted by North Korean agents decades ago.

"Both former prime minister (Shinzo) Abe and Prime Minister (Yoshihide) Suga have said they are ready to hold face-to-face talks with leader Kim Jong Un," Motegi said.

"We are having various behind-the-scene communication with North Korea through not just our embassy in Beijing, but through other routes as well."


Motegi did not elaborate further.