Aug 27, 2019 (NHK) - Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he and other G7 leaders have agreed to support a process being undertaken by the United States and North Korea.
Abe was speaking to reporters on Monday after attending the G7 summit in the French resort town of Biarritz.
Abe said that, on the issue of North Korea, the leaders have agreed to support the US-North Korea process and keep working to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.
Abe also said he has won the understanding and support of all the leaders on the issue of Japanese abducted by North Korea.
On the economic front, Abe said the leaders have agreed on the need for prompt and thorough measures to deal with downside risks to the global economy.
Abe stressed that his country will promote free trade.
He also revealed a plan to reshuffle his cabinet and governing party executives next month.
Abe said he needs to take on difficult challenges with a fresh mind, while attaching importance to political continuity and stability.
Abe said he will put together what he called a powerful lineup for that purpose.
Abe said Japan's strained relations with South Korea were not discussed during his sideline talks with US President Donald Trump.
Abe called on South Korea to make good on promises it made to Japan.
Abe said South Korea is still violating a 1965 agreement that settled the right to seek compensation for wartime labor. He also touched on South Korea's recent withdrawal from a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan.
Abe said those actions damage a relationship of trust between the countries.
