Japan, U.S., S. Korea Eye Foreign Ministers' Talks in Aug.

Tokyo, July 17 (Jiji Press)--Japan, the United States and South Korea are planning to hold talks of their foreign ministers in August to discuss North Korean issues, Jiji Press learned Thursday. The three countries want to time the meeting to coincide with a session of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Myanmar on Aug. 10, Japanese government sources said. Meanwhile, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has put off his U.S. visit planned for next week, because of scheduling difficulties, the sources said. The trilateral meeting between Kishida, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung Se will be the first since July last year. Because the three have not met since Japan and North Korea stepped up talks in late March on the issue of Japanese nationals abducted to the reclusive state, Kishida hopes to convey to his counterparts Japan's stance of underlining its cooperation with the United State and South Korea on North Korean nuclear and missile issues, according to the sources. The United States and South Korea have expressed strong concerns over the administration of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that has moved to have dialogue with North Korea. Although Japan has sounded out the United States about Kishida's visit, the U.S. side replied that it is difficult to fix a schedule within this week, according to the sources. Japan therefore intends to realize a meeting of Kishida and Kerry at an early time on such occasions as the regional security forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. In addition, during a meeting between bureau chief-level officials from the Japanese and South Korean Foreign Ministries in Seoul next week, Tokyo is expected to propose a meeting between Kishida and Yun in Myanmar. However, it is uncertain whether the bilateral foreign ministers' meeting will be realized because South Korea opposes Japan's announcement of the results of its examination of the process of drawing up the 1993 statement by then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono on the so-called comfort women who were forced to work as prostitutes for the now-defunct Imperial Japanese Army during wartime. The statement expressed apology, acknowledging the Japanese military's involvement in recruiting the women. END