Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korea’s leader, issued a response to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday night, floating the possibility of engagement between Pyongyang and Tokyo.

While it is rare for a high-profile North Korean figure to make a positive remark about resetting diplomatic ties with Japan, Kim’s statement was caveated as her “personal” views, which experts told NK News was likely a “trial balloon” and lacked sincerity.

Late last month, Kishida pledgedto “advance high-level consultations … with a view to realizing summit-level talks with Chairman Kim Jong Un,” to secure the return of