Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says he is still willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Speaking at Russia’s Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok on Wednesday, Abe said Tokyo and Pyongyang should move beyond mutual distrust to the point where he and Kim can talk face-to-face.  

However, he was quick to add that no plan has been fixed regarding a Japan-North Korea summit. 

Abe said he wishes the North will seize the opportunity offered by the Singapore summit in June to exchange denuclearization for security guarantees.

He said he hopes next week's inter-Korean summit will produce progress on the issue.