Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday left for a five-day visit to New York where he plans to call for maintaining U.N. sanctions to achieve North Korea's denuclearization.
Abe, fresh from winning another three-year term as head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, is scheduled to deliver a speech at the United Nations on Tuesday covering not only North Korea but also the promotion of free and rules-based trade as the world grapples with rising trade friction.
This week, a flurry of diplomatic activity is expected to take place as global leaders gather for the general debate of the General Assembly where they will seek to bring attention to issues of concern to them.