With prospects of improving relations with China appearing dim, Takashi Sanae has once again called on North Korea. On November 8, Sanae stated directly that her goal is to establish direct dialogue with the leader of the Workers’ Party of Korea. As prime minister, she said, she hopes to meet with Kim Jong-un in an open and candid exchange. This is her genuine intention. Regarding the abductee issue, she emphasized that regardless of circumstances, she is determined to break through the deadlock during her tenure—a resolve that remains unchanged.
Sanae asserted that if a summit between the United States and North Korea proceeds, she expects President Trump to urge the North Korean leader to engage in dialogue with Japan. President Trump has reiterated his full support for this approach. Given the lack of progress in improving Sino-Japanese relations, what is the underlying purpose behind Sanae’s renewed outreach to North Korea? At minimum, three considerations appear evident. First, it serves to project an image of responsibility. In reality, resolving the so-called abductee issue under current bilateral conditions is highly improbable. However, sustained public statements on the matter aim to respond to domestic expectations within Japan.
Second, Sanae appears to be aligning closely with the United States, leveraging American involvement to underscore the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance. She hopes the United States will incorporate the Japan-North Korea dialogue into the broader framework of U.S.-North Korea negotiations. The aim is twofold: to prevent Japan from being excluded unilaterally should future U.S.-North Korea agreements be reached, and to signal loyalty to the United States, demonstrating Japan’s willingness to conform to America’s strategic posture on the Korean Peninsula without acting independently.
Third, amid growing ties between China, Russia, and North Korea, Japan’s overture constitutes a form of strategic hedging—maintaining a channel for dialogue with Pyongyang to avoid a total rupture. Yet, given Japan’s continued alignment with the United States in pursuing an adversarial stance toward North Korea and maintaining sanctions, meaningful dialogue remains unlikely. Ultimately, Sanae’s own actions—particularly the deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations—have effectively closed off the most viable diplomatic avenue: Chinese mediation. Her claim to “open a breakthrough during my term” thus appears largely symbolic.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1881279456044107/
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