Abe and Trump Prepare for Summit with North Korea

On Thursday, June 7th, Donald Trump and Shinzo Abe met at the White House in preparation for the approaching summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in five days. The Japanese prime minister took the opportunity to urge the president not to ease his demands for the complete nuclear disarmament of Pyongyang, referencing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution calling on North Korea to eliminate all its nuclear weapons.

At the joint press conference following the meeting, Trump stated that the denuclearization of North Korea would bring in a new era of security and prosperity for all Koreans as well as for all people elsewhere. Japan, of course, is located very close to the Korean peninsula and has suffered great unease from nuclear missiles flying into its airspace.

Abe has also continuously put pressure on Trump to address the issue of the Japanese abductees held in North Korea.  The abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents took place in the late 1970s and early 1980s, resulting in the disappearances of what could be as many as hundreds of Japanese. Although North Korea returned a handful of victims to their homeland after talks beginning in 2002, a number still remain missing. Trump has promised to discuss the release of at least a dozen Japanese hostages in North Korea in his upcoming meeting in Singapore.

Trump and Abe also discussed the issue of trade on Thursday. Trump, as part of his protectionist policy, hit Japan hard with tariffs on its steel and aluminum exports to the United States. Abe said in late May that Japan would absolutely not accept the 25% tariffs on its automobile exports suggested by the US president. After their discussion, Trump stated that Abe had agreed for Japan to increase its consumption of US goods such as Boeing airplanes and agricultural products. He also welcomed Japanese investment in US plants in states such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio.

Following Trump’s speech, Abe said that Japan and the US would “always be together” and expressed his hope that the Singapore summit would be a “historic success”. He also highlighted the importance of the abductee issue, referencing the case of the unresolved case of a 13-year-old Japanese girl taken from her home and missed dearly by her parents. He stated that there should be no reason that the US and North Korea cannot come to a comprehensive solution on denuclearization and the return of the kidnapping victims. Finally, he concluded his speech with the affirmation that Japan would stand ready to assist the US with its negotiations with North Korea at any time.

The US-Japan alliance continues to be one of the most important partnerships in the world to this day. Japan, severely restricted by Article 9 of its Constitution in carrying out its own military operations, has relied mainly on the US for its security following the end of the Second World War. In his speech, Trump described the cooperation between the two nations as essential to preserving global stability.

Yet the normalization of relations with North Korea will likely take a considerable amount of time, more meetings, and more than just cooperation between all involved, they must come to decisive economic and geopolitical agreements in order to collectively wield more influence in the discussion with North Korea.

Trump stated that he hopes to see the end of the Korean War, but what will prove most difficult about normalization is what will ensue after such an agreement. Kim Jong Un has expressed interest in opening up and expanding North Korea’s economy, but the political, cultural, and social reunification of North and South Korea will undoubtedly be very difficult and time-consuming due to the long-lasting separation of the two nations.

What is most certain is that the world will be awaiting the decision made at the summit in Singapore with bated breath.

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