KONO Taro and KISHIDA Fumio, two of the four candidates for president of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, on Saturday sounded positive about holding talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to resolve Pyongyang’s abductions of Japanese citizens decades ago.

“The issue can’t be resolved without holding a summit meeting,” said Kono, administrative reform minister.

Kishida, former chairman of the LDP’s Policy Research Council, said that Japan “needs to consider all possible measures including a summit meeting” to address the issue.

They made the remarks during a debate hosted by the Japan National Press Club among the four contenders in the Sept. 29 party leadership election to choose the successor to outgoing LDP President and Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide.

The other candidates are former internal affairs minister TAKAICHI Sanae and NODA Seiko, executive acting LDP secretary-general.

On China’s increasing military pressure on Taiwan, Takaichi stressed the need to prepare for a possible emergency.

Kono said that the possibility of China’s invasion of Taiwan cannot be ruled out. “It’s necessary to let China know that the international community is strongly determined not to let anything happen” in Taiwan, he said.

“First, countries should cooperate to solve the issue peacefully,” Kishida said of the Taiwan situation.

Noda said that Japan’s response is important as it has strong economic ties with China.

JIJI Press