<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday he was willing to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, seeking a diplomatic path as tensions soar over Pyongyang's weapons programs.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Kishida reiterated the public offer at the UN General Assembly days after his government publicly announced his willingness for a summit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a speech from the UN rostrum, Kishida said that Japan was willing to resolve all issues with North Korea -- including Pyongyang's past kidnappings of Japanese civilians to train its spies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"From the perspective of opening up a new era together, I would like to convey my determination to meet with President Kim Jong Un face to face at any time without any conditions," Kishida said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said he would "like to hold high-level talks under my direct supervision to realize a summit meeting at an early time."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Japan's former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi paid a landmark visit to Pyongyang while in office in 2002, meeting Kim's father Kim Jong Il and setting out a path to normalize relations in which Japan would offer economic assistance.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The trip led to the return of five Japanese nationals and a follow-up trip by Koizumi but the diplomacy soon broke down, in part over Tokyo's concern that North Korea was not coming clean on the abduction victims.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">North Korea carried out a nuclear test in 2006, setting a more confrontational phase. Tensions have soared in recent months as Pyongyang carries out a series of missile tests.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The United States under President Joe Biden has also offered talks but North Korea has shown little interest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Biden's predecessor Donald Trump took an unusually personal approach with Kim, meeting him three times and voicing admiration for him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The historic summits led to a reduction of tension but no long-term agreement between the United States and North Korea, which have never technically ended their 1950-53 war. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>