North Korean leader's sister says visit by Japan prime minister possible

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to Pyongyang is possible if Tokyo does not make the issue of the past abductions of Japanese nationals an obstacle between the two countries, state-run media reported Thursday.

Kim Yo Jong's remarks came after Kishida said late last week that Tokyo has made "various, concrete" efforts to realize a summit with Kim Jong Un, aiming to resolve the long-standing abduction issue.

The sister, who is a senior official of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party of Korea, claimed in a statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency that the issue of the abductions of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s has been already resolved.

The sister said in the statement that there are no reasons for North Korea and Japan not to become closer, adding a politician with "sagacity and strategic insight" looking to the future rather than the past can take an opportunity.

But Kim Yo Jong said North Korea's leadership has had no interest in interacting with Tokyo so far.

Junichiro Koizumi became the first Japanese prime minister to make a trip to Pyongyang when he visited North Korea in 2002. He revisited the country in 2004 and the government's efforts led to five abductees returning to Japan.

Japan and North Korea have no diplomatic ties, but Koizumi signed a historic declaration with the late leader Kim Jong Il, father of Kim Jong Un, on Sept. 17, 2002.

Under the Pyongyang Declaration, the two Asian nations agreed to make "every possible effort for an early normalization of relations," and Japan pledged to extend economic cooperation to North Korea once ties were normalized.

Koizumi also drew North Korea's first formal