Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum took up the North Korean nuclear issue on Sunday, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe explaining his nation's policy of working with other countries to speed up efforts to achieve the North's denuclearization and to find a resolution of the abduction issue.
Abe told his APEC counterparts on the final day of the two-day summit that a resolution of the North Korean nuclear and missile issues is indispensable for regional peace and stability, Japanese officials said.
"With the six-party negotiations currently discussing the second denuclearization phase, Japan will cooperate with concerned countries to accelerate efforts toward North Korea's denuclearization," Abe was quoted as saying.
Speaking at a news conference wrapping up the 21-member APEC summit, host Australian Prime Minister John Howard said the leaders took up the issue of North Korea.