日朝首脳会談へ働き掛け　岸田首相、拉致家族に表明

　岸田文雄首相は１０日、北朝鮮による拉致被害者、横田めぐみさん＝拉致当時（１３）＝の弟で家族連絡会（家族会）代表の横田拓也氏らと首相官邸で面会した。家族会側が早期の日朝首脳会談実現に期待を示したのに対し、首相は「米国の理解、協力を得ながら、北朝鮮への働き掛けに一層力を入れていきたい」と語った。
　家族会は４月下旬からの米国訪問の際、全被害者の一括帰国を前提に、日本が北朝鮮に科している独自制裁の解除に反対しないとする運動方針を、国務省幹部や上院議員らに説明した。横田氏は「全ての面会者から理解を得られた。日朝首脳会談に向けた交渉で活用してほしい」と要請。首相は「しっかりと受け止める」と応じ、自身直轄のハイレベル協議を続ける意向を示した。
　横田氏は面会後、記者団に「部分的解決や段階的解決は受け入れられない。全被害者の即時一括帰国という要求水準を下げることなく、強い外交を貫いてほしい」と語った。面会には拉致問題担当相を兼ねる林芳正官房長官や超党派の拉致議連メンバーらが同席した。（2024/05/10-12:04）

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged again to strive further to realize a Japan-North Korea summit when he met with family members of victims of North Korea's abductions Friday.
   "We will work more to communicate with North Korea, with the understanding and cooperation of the United States," Kishida said when a group of abductees' families voiced hopes for the early realization of a Tokyo-Pyongyang summit.
   When members of the group visited the United States in late April, they briefed senior Department of State officials and senators about their policy of not opposing a possible lifting of Japan's sanctions against North Korea if all abductees are returned to Japan together immediately.
   Takuya Yokota, leader of the abductee family group, said that the group was able to gain understanding from those they met, and that the group wants Japan to utilize the development in negotiations for a summit with North Korea. He is a younger brother of Megumi, who was abducted by North Korea in 1977 when she was 13.
   Kishida responded that he will keep Yokota's words firmly in mind, promising to continue high-level negotiations under his direct control in order to realize the summit.