Japan: North Korea must not be rewarded for only agreeing to talk

Japan’s Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera attends a news conference at Defence Ministry in Tokyo, Japan in this file photo.

Japan’s Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera attends a news conference at Defence Ministry in Tokyo, Japan in this file photo.   | Photo Credit: Reuters

Japan's Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said on Saturday it was important not to reward North Korea for only agreeing to dialogue and it must take concrete action to dismantle all of its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Speaking at the Shangri-la Dialogue security forum in Singapore, Onodera said North Korea had entered into agreements to end its nuclear programme in the past only to conduct more activities to further their weapons development.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un is set to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore for an unprecedented summit on June 12.