Go to the media bankPresident of the State Council of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong-un. File photoTOKYO, Sep 16Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is ready to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un without preconditions, Japanese government secretary-general Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference in Tokyo.»Our country has consistently advocated a comprehensive solution based on the Japan-North Korea Declaration (2002) of the problem of the Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea, the nuclear and missile problems, drawing a line under the unfortunate past and the desire to normalize relations.This direction is unchanged.Prime Minister Kishida is ready without preconditions hold a meeting with Kim Jong-un. We are ready to take all measures for the speedy return of all the abducted to their homeland,» Matsuno said. Tokyo insists that the DPRK's special services have kidnapped at least 17 Japanese citizens since the 1970s, the DPRK admitted only 13 facts. Five of them were able to return to Japan following former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to North Korea in 2002 and 2004. The remaining eight people, according to the North Korean side, died, but Japan considers the evidence of death presented to be fake and demands the extradition of all people whom it calls hostages. West's position deprives North Korea of motivation for negotiations, expert says
