Japan calls for prompt probe into abduction issue: official

Japan has asked the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to carry out a prompt investigation into the fate of Japanese nationals abducted decades ago and inform Japan of the result at the earliest possible time, a Japanese official told reporters Tuesday.

The special investigation committee of the DPRK started talks earlier in the day with the Japanese delegation led by Junichi Ihara, director general of Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, for an update on the reinvestigation into the abduction during the 1970s and 1980s.

At about 9:30 a.m local time (0030 GMT), So Tae Ha, chairman of the special investigation committee, met with Ihara at the DPRK immigration bureau, where the special investigation committee is based.

The committee briefed the Japanese side on the investigation mechanism and the status quo.

During the meeting, chief officials from DPRK's Ministry of State Security and Ministry of People's Security talked about the probe into the abductees and into the missing Japanese citizens respectively. The Japanese delegation also raised questions on the case.

The talks lasted five and a half hours in the day, Ihara said at the briefing.

But he declined to disclose the details of the negotiations or give his personal comments, saying that he will report to heads of government when he returns.

The two sides will have two-day closed-door talks on latest developments of the abduction issue, and the Japanese government officials, who arrived here in Pyongyang on Monday, will leave on Thursday.

The DPRK announced in early July the establishment of the special investigation committee tasked with probing into the fate of the Japanese citizens kidnapped to become spies. In return, Japan eased several sanctions on Pyongyang.

But in September, the DPRK side failed to provide an initial report for Japan; and during inter-governmental talks late in the month, the DPRK proposed that Japan send a delegation to Pyongyang for more information about the issue, according to Japanese local media.