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Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the White House on May 9. (AP/Yonhap News)
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Yoshihide Suga and Pompeo agree on complete implementation of sanctions
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga discussed solidarity on North Korea-related issues and the thorough implementation of related sanctions in a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Suga, who was in the US for a four-day visit, met with Pompeo in Washington for around 30 minutes on May 9. The Japanese Foreign Ministry said the two ministers “traded views on the North Korea situation and agreed on the complete implementation of [UN] Security Council resolutions [on North Korea sanctions]” and “affirmed that they would be cooperating closely at various levels, including an analysis of and response to North Korea’s continued projectile launches.” Suga also communicated Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s recent policy of seeking a North Korea-Japan summit without preconditions. Suga also met with acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan ahead of his meeting with Pompeo. In both meetings, the main topic was North Korea. “At each meeting, we exchanged views on the North Korean situation and agreed on the complete implementation of Security Council sanctions, while committing to close cooperation to quickly resolving the issue of abductions [of Japanese nationals by North Korea],” Suga told reporters. Suga was also scheduled to meet with US Vice President Mike Pence on May 10. Overseas visits by the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary – who acts as a government spokesperson while handling crisis management duties – are a rare occurrence. In the 30 years before Suga took over the position, a total of three Chief Cabinet Secretaries made visits overseas. Some analysts suggested that Suga, who received a boost in name recognition with the announcement of a new era name, was making his debut on the diplomatic state with an eye toward his “post-Abe” future. By Cho Ki-weon, Tokyo correspondent Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
