TOKYO -- A North Korean commitment to going nuclear-free is a prerequisite for starting talks with the country, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told The Nikkei and the Nikkei Asian Review in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
"We think, in the end, [the North Korean] problems should be solved through diplomatic dialogue," he said after the United Nations Security Council unanimously approved tougher sanctions against Pyongyang. But for now, he said strong pressure on the North is important.