North Korea has been a threatening subject for the US in regards to its nuclear quest to design a weapon that could reach America. Immediately threatened countries such as Japan and South Korea and also considered as America’s allies have had to team up with the US in efforts to pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.
A brief overview of efforts by the US to corner North Korea into abandoning its quest involve rallying ally countries such as Japan and South Korea to realizing what a threat the North is. Sanctions by both the US and Russia are curtailed to bleed the North’s economic and financial stance used in funding its nuclear program. Recent developments in the matter witnessed South Korea’s presidential visit to the North for talks that swayed the North’s premier, Kim Jong Un to extend a talk invitation to Trump.
Donald Trump Agrees to Meet Kim Jong Un
The US President has maintained a harsh rhetoric about the North’s leader calling him troubled and aggressive. In respect to an invitation extended by Kim Jong Un, Trump agreed to meet with the North’s president by May for the purpose of holding talks on North Korea’s bid to end its nuclear program. Japan and China were initially in previous talks together with the US before they collapsed. Recent developments between the North and the US scare Tokyo into feeling that they may be sidelined in the new talks.
Although Shinzo Abe, Japan’s Prime Minister stated on Friday that ties between Tokyo and Washington were one hundred percent intact, there still resides a looming fear or risk that they may be left out in progressive talks that would see North Korea abandon its nuclear program.
Kim Jong Un’s invitation and Trump’s acceptance of the invitation is potentially an intense development in the US’s nuclear standoff with Pyongyang.
Amid the growing speculation of being sidelined, Abe’s telephone conversation with Trump on Friday assured the country that their security alliance with the US remains intact. The Prime Minister is expected to visit Washington in April for more talks.
Reasons for Japan’s Speculation
Japan is afraid that the US may have its own interests in mind and therefore getting North Korea to end its nuclear program would benefit only America. What happens to the nuclear warheads North Korea already possesses?
The North may agree to freeze their nuclear program but disagree to a denuclearizing program. This means that their search for a nuclear warhead that can reach the US will stop but the troubled nation will still possess warheads they can use against Japan.
