Japan to freeze assets of 35 North Korea individuals, entities

Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Japan is to freeze the assets of 35 North Korean individuals and entities, a move that underscores Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's pledge to increase pressure on Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons.

Abe made the statement Monday, the same day he and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed "100 percent" that "all options are on the table" when addressing the North Korea nuclear crisis, NHK reported.

Describing Trump's visit to Asia as "historic," Abe said at a news conference following the summit that Trump's first stopover in Japan demonstrated the strength of the U.S.-Japan alliance.

The Japanese prime minister added he and Trump "agreed to work closely with the international community and use all means to increase pressure on North Korea."

Abe also said he attaches importance to "strengthening the maritime order in the Indo-Pacific region for peace and prosperity in the region," and that Japan and the United States agreed to "strengthen cooperation" to realize a free and open "Indo-Pacific" region.

The prime minister was using a relatively new term that Trump coined over the weekend to describe the Asia-Pacific.

South Korean news agency Yonhap reported the two leaders also agreed the era of "strategic patience" is over with regards to North Korea.

Strategic patience is a reference to the North Korea policy of the Obama administration that required denuclearization as a preliminary step to negotiations.

On Sunday Trump said ahead of his summit with Abe he remains "open" to meeting with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, during an interview on Sharyl Attkisson's syndicated show Full Measure.

"I would sit with anybody I feel," Trump said. "I don't think it's strength or weakness. I think sitting down with people is not a bad thing. So I would certainly be open to doing that."

A U.S. analyst has said the two leaders must meet because of the way the regime in Pyongyang functions and responds to crises.