BEIJING (Reuters)-Japan urged China on Monday to shoulder a large role in ensuring that North Korea avoid volatile moves despite the uncertainty created by the death of Pyongyang’s leader, Kim Jong-il.
Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihiko Noda also encouraged Chinese President Hu Jintao to share information about developments in North Korea, where Kim’s youngest son succession, Kim Jong-un, has blown speculation about who will actually take control of one-party State and the secret nuclear weapons program.
“It is important that we will not let the death of Chairman Kim’s Commission of national defense has a negative impact on peace and stability of the peninsula of Korea,” Noda quoted by Japan officials told Hu in Beijing.
“In these circumstances, the role of China, who is Chairman of the six-party talks and the country has a great influence on North Korea, it is very important,” said stains, according to the brief reporters on the condition that he remain anonymous.