Japan: Shinzo Abe vows to restore relations with North Korea
Al JazeeraConciliatory message contrasts sharply from a year ago when Abe set out a hardline approach towards Pyongyang. A new approach The conciliatory message contrasted sharply from a year ago when Abe used the same parliamentary address to set out a hardline approach, pledging to “compel North Korea to change its policies” and describing Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes as an “unprecedentedly grave and urgent threat”. North Korean authorities have given no public indication of any willingness to meet Abe, while Pyongyang’s state media regularly excoriate Japan over its past and Abe for ramping up defence spending. A commentary by North Korea’s official KCNA news agency earlier this month called Japan a “heinous criminal state against humanity”, and an “immoral and impudent country”. ‘Peace and prosperity’ On China, Abe said ties had “completely returned to a normal path” after he visited President Xi Jinping in Beijing last year.