Japanese Prime Minister to attend PyeongChang Winter Olympics

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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he will attend the opening ceremony of 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games, which open in South Korea on February 9.

South Korea had been asking Abe to attend the event, but because of the dispute over the touchy history of “comfort woman”, Abe put off his decisions saying he need to consider the schedule of this year’s Diet session earlier this Monday.

"Tokyo will host the Summer Olympics in 2020 and it is worth attending games being held in other parts of Asia and supporting the athletes," Abe said.

“The two governments of Japan and South Korea have discussed Prime Minister Abe’s visiting South Korea for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and welcome Japan’s decision to officially announce the visit,” South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s Blue House said in a statement ahead of Abe’s remarks Reuter reported.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe makes a speech at an opening of a new session of parliament in Tokyo, Japan . /Reuters Photo

Abe and Moon would also discuss the issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which has made advances in its nuclear and missile programs.

“I also want to drive home the need for strong collaboration between Japan, South Korea and the United States to counter the North Korean threat, and to maintain what has been raised to the maximum level of pressure (against Pyongyang),” he said.

A White House official said Washington welcomed Abe’s planned attendance at the Games and that “trilateral cooperation is key to regional security,” according to Reuters.

(With inputs from Reuters.)