Abe, May Start Talks on Cooperation for Sanctions against N. Korea

Tokyo, Aug. 31 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his British counterpart, Theresa May, started their talks on Thursday afternoon hoping to reaffirm their cooperation for strengthening sanctions against North Korea after the reclusive country's ballistic missile launch over Japan. During their talks at the Geihinkan state guesthouse in Tokyo's Motoakasaka district, Abe and May are also expected to exchange views on measures to reduce negative effects of Britain's exit from the European Union on Japanese companies. They are scheduled to announce a joint statement to wrap up the summit for an expansion of cooperation between Britain and Japan in the fields of security and the economy. The visit by May to Japan is the first since she took office in July last year. At a banquet on Wednesday, the two leaders agreed to strengthen sanctions against Pyongyang. Japan is considering proposing a ban on oil exports to North Korea as part of a new U.N. Security Council resolution and hopes to obtain support for the plan from Britain, a permanent council member. Earlier in the day, May attended a meeting of Japan's National Security Council held in the Japanese prime minister's office in Tokyo. END