Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is calling on countries to maintain strengthened sanctions and pressure on North Korea amid apparent signs of a thaw inter-Korean relations.

Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported Monday that while Abe was visiting with his political supporters in Yamaguchi, his home prefecture, he said he evaluates that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has shown a willingness to cooperate on the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

However, he was quick to emphasize that nations worldwide, including China and Russia, should continue to abide by UN Security Council resolutions to force North Korea to change its policy.

Abe said he will do his best to make Pyongyang abandon its nuclear and missile programs and resolve the issue of the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents during the 1970s and 80s.

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