During a White House meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday, President Trump announced that the U.S. will maintain diplomatic relations with North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong Un. He emphasized his positive relationship with Kim, stating, “We will have relations with North Korea, with Kim Jong Un. I get along with them very well.”

Trump highlighted his personal diplomacy with Kim, initiated in 2018 with their Singapore summit – a first for a sitting U.S. president. He underscored the value of this relationship, saying, “We had a good relationship. And I think it’s a very big asset for everybody that I do get along with them.”

Their subsequent 2019 meeting included a crossing into North Korean territory from the demilitarized zone. Trump suggested Japan would welcome renewed dialogue, given the strained relationship between Japan and North Korea, which lack formal diplomatic ties.

“And I can tell you that Japan likes the idea because their relationship is not very good with him,” Trump noted.

Ishiba expressed optimism about the Trump-Kim meetings, suggesting they pave the way for progress on issues with North Korea, including denuclearization. “Japan and U.S. will work together toward the complete denuclearization of North Korea,” Ishiba affirmed.

Ishiba also raised the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 80s. While some were released in the early 2000s, North Korea has offered no explanation, preventing normalized relations. “And so our time is limited,” Ishiba cautioned, adding, “So, I don’t know if the president of the United States, if President Trump is able to resolve this issue. We do understand that it’s a Japan issue, first and foremost. Having said that, we would love to continue to cooperate with them.”