Japan will continue to "patiently" pursue normalization talks with North Korea, although the two countries remain at odds on key issues, the Foreign Ministry said in its annual report released Tuesday.
The 2001 Diplomatic Blue Book mentions the resumption of normalization talks last year after an eight-year hiatus as well as a meeting in July between then Foreign Minister Yohei Kono and his North Korean counterpart, Paek Nam Sun -- the first between foreign ministers from the two countries.
Despite three rounds of talks held in 2000, however, the two countries were unable to resolve differences over North Korea's demand for compensation over Japan's past colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, and the alleged kidnapping of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents.