Tokyo, April 11 (Agency) Japan will continue to pursue normalization of bilateral relations with North Korea and urge Pyongyang to completely abandon its nuclear and missile programs, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said on Monday. “With reliance on the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration [of 2002, Japan intends] to comprehensively address the complex problems of the Japanese citizens forcefully detained in North Korea, of nuclear and missile programs, to settle the misfortunes of the past and accomplish normalization of Japanese-North Korean relations,” Matsuno said at a briefing. At the same time, he regarded the missile tests conducted by North Korea as unacceptable, saying the recurring launches by Pyongyang exacerbate tensions.
“Missile launches as well as the launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile, conducted in March, fuel even greater tensions, while the latest actions by North Korea threaten peace and stability of Japan and the world community and are completely unacceptable. We jointly with the international community, and primarily the United States will work towards full denuclearization of North Korea,” Matsuno noted. On Monday, North Korea celebrates the 10th anniversary of Kim Jong Un assuming the post of the leader of the Workers’ Party of Korea. For 10 years in power, he has conducted over 100 missile launches, including intercontinental launches and four nuclear missile tests. In contrast, his farther Kim Jong Il during 17 years in power carried out 16 missile launches and two nuclear tests.