TOKYO, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday hailed U.S President Donald Trump's announcement on Thursday stating that the highly anticipated summit between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) would be held in Singapore on June 12.

Abe told reporters during a trip to Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost prefecture that he will keep up communications with Trump on the phone and by other means.

"As preparations are being made for the U.S.-North Korea (DPRK) summit, Japan will firmly tell its stance to the United States," Abe was quoted as saying.

He also said that Japan will cooperate with the United States, South Korea, China and Russia, as well as others from the international community, to make progress on a number of issues pertaining to the Korean Peninsula through the upcoming U.S.-DPRK summit.