Niigata Gov. Ikuo Hirayama on Friday urged Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to put the abductions issue at the top of the agenda at next week's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

Hirayama made the request in a letter he delivered to the prime minister's office in Tokyo. The letter was handed to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda; Koizumi is currently visiting the United States.

The alleged abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea is "the most important issue," Hirayama said in the letter, adding that until it is resolved it will be "impossible to normalize ties between Japan and North Korea."