On November 6, DP President Kouhei Ohtsuka released the following statement.
Today, United States President Donald Trump met with the Emperor and Empress of Japan before holding a summit meeting and joint press conference with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. I welcome the visit to Japan by the leader of our ally, the United States of America, as well as honestly recognizing the value of this opportunity for strengthening Japan-U.S. relations at a time when the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is committing repeated provocations through its missile launches and nuclear experiments, and for confirming our mutual commitment to the importance of maintaining a free and open maritime order in East Asia and the Western Pacific region. Furthermore, I am also highly appreciative of the fact that President Trump made time to meet with family members of those Japanese citizens abducted by the DPRK, reaffirming that the abduction issue is an extremely significant international issue.
There seem to be many commentators have pointed out that President Trump’s statements, behavior and political conduct, such as the announcement of the United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change, only foster divisions in the international community. From this perspective, I hope that Prime Minister Abe engaged in frank discussions with President Trump and offered the candid opinion of Japan as an ally of the United States.
Putting increased pressure on the DPRK is being expected, but such pressure must lead to dialogue designed to put an end to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Moreover, an effective response for dealing with the problem of these programs requires a concerted effort involving not just the United States, but the entire international community, in particular the Republic of Korea, China and Russia.
I call on Prime Minister Abe to continue to liaise closely on this issue with the United States and all countries concerned, as well as engaging in prudent diplomacy. In addition, I urge the Japanese government to provide the Japanese people and the Diet with an adequate explanation regarding the content of the meeting with President Trump, in so far as is possible.