DPRK promises to deepen probe into abduction issue: Japanese PM

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has promised to deepen its investigation into the fates of Japanese nationals abducted decades ago.

He made the remarks at a press briefing on the results of a four-day visit by a Japanese government mission to the DPRK.

"The North Korean (DPRK) side showed a policy to Japan that it will deepen (its) investigation from a new angle regardless of past investigations' results," Abe told reporters after meeting with Junichi Ihara, who has led the team to Pyongyang and returned back to Tokyo earlier in the day.

The prime minister also quoted the DPRK's investigation committee as telling the Japanese delegation that it will " thoroughly investigate special organizations" over their involvement in the abductions of Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s, according to Japan's Kyodo News Agency.

Meanwhile, sources close to the matter said the DPRK did not present Japan with any new information on abductees during the meeting, Kyodo reported.

According to Abe, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga will hold a press conference on Friday morning to reveal more details about the talks.