U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at the State Department in Washington, U.S., October 3, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

TOKYO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday he will raise the issue of North Korea’s abduction of Japanese citizens when he visits Pyongyang for talks with the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un.

Pompeo also said ties between Japan and the United States were strong and the two countries were in a position to make progress on trade talks.

He was speaking to reporters after meeting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo before his trip to North Korea.