Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump pledged on Wednesday to continue to work together towards resolving issues pertaining to the Korean Peninsula, local media reported Thursday.
During their telephone conversation late on Wednesday, the two leaders traversed a number of issues related to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Abe told a press briefing on the matter.
The Japanese leader also said Japan and the United States coordinated their policies on how to handle the DPRK, according to local media.
The phone talks between Abe and Trump came ahead of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's fourth expected visit to Pyongyang.
Abe also said following the talks that he was encouraged by Trump saying that Washington would help Tokyo to resolve the longstanding abduction issue connected to the DPRK that stems back to the 1970s and 1980s.
The Japanese premier has maintained that this issue remains one of the top priorities of his administration.
In addition, Abe affirmed that Japan stood ready to work with key stakeholders on the issue of bringing the DPRK's missile development programs to an end and settling the abduction issue.
These stakeholders include the United States, South Korean, China and Russia.
Abe himself is seeking a summit with top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, at which he is hoping to gain some momentum in resolving the abduction issue as well as advancing ties.
