Japan's Abe, acting U.S. defense secretary hold talks on defense, security

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held talks Tuesday with U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan spanning issues of defense and security.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R) shakes hands with US Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan prior to their meeting in Tokyo on June 4, 2019. [Photo: AFP Pool/AFP/Koji Sasahara]

Japanese government officials said the pair discussed issues pertaining to the Korean Peninsular among others.

Abe and Shanahan agreed to continue to work together towards the denuclearization of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Both countries, however, have taken different lines over the DPRK's missile test last month, which Japan believes contravened U.N. Security Council resolutions, in contrast to U.S. President Donald Trump stating that the tests were not a violation and did not bother him.

Abe said that the U.S. remained committed to giving its backing to Japan in its push to resolve abductions of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s.

Shanahan on Tuesday also met with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Japan's top government spokesperson, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.