Japan and DPRK take up nuclear issue at Pyongyang talks

Japan on Thursday raised with North Korea the reclusive state's nuclear program and stalled talks to solve the stand-off as senior officials of the two countries met in Pyongyang. Japan and North Korea are holding talks on the Stalinist regime's abductions during the Cold War of Japanese nationals, but Tokyo has pledged to use the meeting to try to jumpstart six-nation negotiations on the nuclear issue.
"I wanted to meet you on this occasion and exchange views on the six-way talks. I am glad that you spared time for that," Japanese delegation head Mitoji Yabunaka was seen saying on footage by Japan's public broadcaster NHK.
Yabunaka, who is Japan's pointman on the nuclear negotiations, was speaking to North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-Gwan, who has also been involved in the nuclear crisis talks.
"I want to exchange opinions about pending issues between the two nations, especially promises made at the two summits and implementation of the Japan-Pyongyang declaration," Kim was quoted as saying through a translator.
Japan and North Korea issued a joint declaration after the September 2002 landmark summit in Pyongyang between Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il calling for dialogue to resolve security problems.
The talks on Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions include the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.
North Korea boycotted the most recent set of six-nation negotiations scheduled for September, following three inconclusive earlier rounds, and was widely seen to be waiting for the outcome of the US presidential election.
North Korea wants full trade and aid from Japan. But senior officials of Japan's ruling party have warned of sanctions against the economically isolated state unless it provided more details about the kidnappings.
North Korea kidnapped Japanese nationals during the Cold War for spy training and has allowed five survivors to return home.
But Tokyo insists eight kidnap victims proclaimed dead by Pyongyang are alive and that at least two more Japanese were abducted.
The 19-member Japanese team arrived in the North Korean capital on Tuesday for a four-day dialogue and includes forensic experts.
The two countries made no headway in two similar rounds of talks this year in Beijing, with Japan demanding more convincing information about those kidnapped.