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| US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln is holding a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the Tokyo Prime Minister’s Residence on the 16th (local time). © AFP=News1 © News1 Reporter Dongmyeong Woo |
US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln urged the improvement of bilateral relations, saying, “It is a huge benefit for Korea and Japan to cooperate while dealing with historical issues,” regarding the relationship between Korea and Japan, NNN, a Japanese private broadcaster, reported on the 17th.
In an exclusive interview with Secretary Blincoln, NNN said, “The United States will be deeply involved in revitalizing relations between allies.”
Regarding North Korea’s abduction of Japanese citizens, Secretary Blincoln said, “The United States is in perfect solidarity with the family of the kidnapping victims and Japan.”
Minister Blincoln said about the Beijing Olympics, which are scheduled to be held next year, “we are hearing voices of concern over human rights violations against minorities such as China’s Uighurs and Hong Kong issue.”
Whether or not to participate is interpreted as a means of making a decision by seeing whether or not to resolve the’human rights issue’, etc., in conflict with China.
In an interview (round table) with Japanese reporters in Tokyo, Japan, Minister Blincoln said, “The tensions in the region are not decreasing but increasing due to the Chinese government’s actions in the region and the attitude toward Taiwan.” Pointed out.
“It is acting more repressively at home and abroad, including the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea (where China is in dispute with Japan) and the South China Sea associated with Taiwan,” he said.
“Japan has a real interest in Taiwan and its straits, and we have spent time discussing them together,” Blincoln explained earlier in the talks with Japanese government officials.
The day before, Secretary of Defense Blincoln held a meeting of the US-Japan Security Consultative Committee (2+2 talks) with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi with US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin.
Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Blincoln and Defense Minister Lloyd Austin plan to hold a 2+2 talks in South Korea on the 18th.