Mike Pence on Tuesday reassured Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that Washington’s “pressure campaign” of sanctions on North Korea will remain “in full force,” following talks held as part of the first leg of a week-long trip to Asia by the U.S. Vice President.

Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo, the Vice President also said that progress has been made since the June summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un.

The United States does not consider the timing of North Korea’s denuclearization to be a “driving factor” in current negotiations process, he added, stressing that  “more work