Pyongyang, February 15 (KCNA) -- Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, issued the following press statement on February 15:

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida reportedly said at a recent meeting of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives that he badly feels the need to boldly change the present situation prevailing between Japan and the DPRK. He also underlined the need to actively establish relations with the President of the State Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), adding that he is now making sustained efforts to do so through different channels.

I also take note of the fact that Japanese media commented with regard to Prime Minister Kishida's remarks that the stand on the DPRK-Japan relations expressed by him was different from the previous one.

I think there would be no reason not to appreciate his recent speech as a positive one, if it was prompted by his real intention to boldly free himself from the past fetters and promote the DPRK-Japan relations.

It is the fact recognized by everyone that the relations between the two countries have deteriorated for decades since Japan has persistently raised as a precondition the abduction issue, which had already been settled, or the settlement of nuclear and missile issues which have nothing to do with the repair of the DPRK-Japan relations.

It is my opinion that if Japan makes a political decision to open up a new way of mending the relations through its courteous behavior and trustworthy action on the basis of courageously breaking with anachronistic hostility and unattainable desire and recognizing each other, the two countries can open up a new future together.

Only a politician, who has sagacity and strategic insight for looking far into the future, instead of sticking to the past, and the will and executive power to make a political decision, can take an opportunity and change history.

If Japan drops its bad habit of unreasonably pulling up the DPRK over its legitimate right to self-defence and does not lay such a stumbling block as the already settled abduction issue in the future way for mending the bilateral relations, there will be no reason for the two countries not to become close and the day of the prime minister's Pyongyang visit might come.

I think our state leadership still has no idea of repairing the DPRK-Japan relations and has no interest in contact.

It is necessary to watch the ulterior intention of Prime Minister Kishida in the future.

This is just my personal view only and I am not in the position to officially comment on the relations between the DPRK and Japan. -0-

www.kcna.kp (Juche113.2.15.)