As he made his international debut in Manila on Sunday, newly appointed Foreign Minister Taro Kono agreed with his regional counterparts to put more pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile ambitions.
After arriving in the Philippine capital, Kono, who assumed his post Thursday in a Cabinet reshuffle, met with the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He also held talks with Lim Jock Seng, Brunei's second minister of foreign affairs and trade.
Kono and Lim "shared the view that it is important to strengthen pressure (on North Korea)," the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo said.