Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged Wednesday that his government will take every possible measure to pursue the return of all of its citizens who were abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s.
Kishida's remarks came during a meeting at his office with family members of the Japanese abductees, who have recently claimed that they would not oppose giving humanitarian aid to North Korea if it would lead to the victims' return.
To realize the early return of all the abductees to Japan, "We will do our utmost to tackle the issue without ruling out any options," Kishida said, reiterating he has been eager to have direct talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "without conditions."