Japan fully backs Trump on North Korea, Abe says

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a televised debate at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, Oct., 8, 2017. (Reuters)

President Donald Trump’s “all options on the table” stance regarding North Korea has the full support Japan’s government, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday.

Abe’s remarks came during a televised debate among leaders of Japan’s major political parties. The nation’s voters will head to the polls Oct. 22 for parliamentary elections.

The Japanese leader said North Korea had failed to deliver on past promises to end its pursuit of nuclear technology made during "six-party" talks with Japan, China, the U.S., Russia and South Korea.

“They used the framework of the dialogue to earn time so that they could develop their nuclear technology," Abe said. "As the result, their nuclear capability has reached to this level and we cannot afford being deceived by them again.”

Abe did not specifically comment on a message about North Korea that President Trump tweeted during the weekend.

Trump wrote that 25 years of negotiations with North Korea had not worked, with "agreements violated before the ink was dry, makings fools of U.S. negotiators. Sorry, but only one thing will work!"

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike's party is considered the top challenger to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's party in Japan's upcoming elections. (Associated Press)

Abe said his government supports the U.S. view that more pressure is needed and all options are on the table.

Meanwhile, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike – whose party is regarded as Abe’s party’s strongest opposition in the upcoming election – positioned her party as a “middle of the fairway” choice for Japan’s voters, Reuters reported.

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Koike’s Party of Hope is challenging Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) as well as other smaller parties.

Concerns over North Korea currently rank as a top issue in the Japanese election.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.