Japan will try to normalize relations with North Korea- Abe

Tokyo is interested in finally resolving issues that have long strained its relations with Pyongyang, in particular, the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents, and normalizing relations between the two countries, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday.

Japan has repeatedly voiced its willingness to establish a dialogue with North Korea following the improvement in the situation on the Korean Peninsula and historic summits that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held with his South Korean and US counterparts last year. Pyongyang, however, has not officially agreed to hold negotiations with Tokyo.

"We will be trying to settle our unfortunate problems of the past and normalize relations with North Korea," Abe said at the opening of the parliament session in Tokyo.

Abe also reiterated his readiness to meet with Kim once the two countries eliminate mutual distrust to solve the nuclear and missile issues as well as the crucial problem of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s.

Japan and North Korea have not established official diplomatic ties so far, with one of the most sensitive issues souring their relations being the abduction of Japanese nationals. While Pyongyang admitted to abducting only 13 Japanese citizens, Tokyo insists that there were 17 of them. Five of the kidnapped Japanese were allowed to return to their homeland in 2002 and Pyongyang claims that the others had died. Tokyo refuses to believe in the death of the remaining eight Japanese citizens and demands their return.