Pence, Abe agree on North Korea sanctions, new trade talks
TOKYO — U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday reaffirmed the need to keep sanctions on North Korea to achieve its denuclearization as they showcased their bilateral alliance, while Pence also urged Japan to do more to reduce the U.S. trade deficit.
Pence and Abe also agreed to deepen co-operation in promoting energy, infrastructure and providing loans to nations in the region.
Pence said the U.S.-Japan alliance is a “cornerstone” of the region’s peace and prosperity and said Japan is not only an ally but a friend, but that Japan needs to do more to reduce the bilateral trade imbalance.
“Japan is an indispensable trade partner for the United States,” he said. “The United States has had a trade imbalance with Japan for too long.”