In a bid to shore up support for his Cabinet ahead of a possible general election, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to dedicate himself to realizing a summit with North Korea. But most analysts say that bid is unlikely to bear fruit anytime soon.
Kishida, who decided not to dissolve the House of Representatives for a snap election during the parliamentary session that ended last month, has expressed an eagerness to resolve the long-standing issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s.
In late May, Kishida made a sudden commitment to establish high-level negotiations between Tokyo and Pyongyang to pave the way for an early meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, although he has not elaborated on what kind of official talks he envisions.