Japan's Abe says time to exert maximum pressure on North Korea

US President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe before a summit meeting at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo on November 6, 2017. REUTERS/Kazuhiro Nogi/Pool

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday it was time to exert maximum pressure on North Korea and he had agreed with U.S. President Donald Trump that China should play a bigger role in getting Pyongyang to give up its weapons programmes.

Speaking to reporters, he also said Japan supported Trump's position that all options are on the table when it comes to dealing with North Korea. Trump is in Tokyo on the second-day of an Asian swing during which North Korea and trade are expected to top the agenda.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; editing by Nick Macfie)