Japan, U.S. agree on pressuring N. Korea toward denuclearization

TOKYO, June 1 Kyodo -
Japan and the United States agreed during vice ministerial talks Monday on the
need to denuclearize North Korea and for the international community to ''take
effective actions in concert'' to deal with the nuclear and missile issues,
Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka said.
In talks attended by Yabunaka, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg
and other senior Japanese and U.S. officials in Tokyo, the countries also
agreed to step up pressure on Pyongyang and that China's cooperation is
essential for the effective implementation of economic sanctions and other
measures, government sources said.
Yabunaka, meanwhile, said later in the day that the six-party talks aimed at
ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions will ''continue to be an effective
framework,'' but referred to the need to consider ''a new approach'' to create
productive outcomes.
''While we will examine to what extent the approach that has been taken until
now has proved successful...a new approach should be considered based on this
reflection,'' Yabunaka told a press conference, without elaborating.
In their talks, Japanese and U.S. officials also agreed that Japan, the United
States and South Korea should cooperate in seeking a U.N. Security Council
resolution to impose additional sanctions on North Korea.
''We can never accept North Korea's possession of nuclear weapons. The complete
disposal of its nuclear (weapons) and denuclearization is absolutely necessary
to that end,'' Yabunaka told reporters after the talks.
''To stop North Korea's acts...effective actions are needed, starting with the
U.N. Security Council,'' he said.
Steinberg, who also responded to reporters along with Yabunaka, said, ''We
stand united in making clear our deep concern about North Korea's highly
destabilizing actions, and reaffirm our commitment to work together along with
South Korea, China and Russia to return North Korea to the path of complete and
verifiable denuclearization.''
Japan, the United States, the two Koreas as well as China and Russia are the
members of the six-party talks.
During the talks, Steinberg also said that the United States remains committed
to Japan's security, while Yabunaka said Japan appreciates the United States
for showing understanding over the issue of North Korea's past abductions of
Japanese nationals.
Among the attendees were Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. special representative for
North Korea policy, and Japanese Vice Defense Minister Kohei Masuda.
The talks followed an underground nuclear test conducted by North Korea on May
25, after its first test in October 2006, which sparked strong criticism from
the international community.
Steinberg, who arrived in Japan on Sunday, said he will also meet Japanese
Prime Minister Taro Aso on Tuesday. He is expected to visit South Korea, China
and Russia following his visit to Japan.
Earlier in the day, Yabunaka and Steinberg also agreed that they will jointly
deal with diplomatic issues involving Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and will
strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance, the Foreign Ministry said.
They also reaffirmed bilateral cooperation in dealing with China, Myanmar and
other regional issues, as well as global issues such as nuclear disarmament and
nonproliferation, the ministry said in a press release.
==Kyodo