Tokyo breathed a sigh of relief Tuesday as the leaders of the Group of Eight nations urged North Korea to resolve the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by Pyongyang agents.
"We support the efforts made by the different parties to seek by peaceful means a comprehensive solution to the North Korean issue and to other matters, including unresolved humanitarian problems such as the abductions," the G8 leaders said in a chairman's statement wrapping up their annual meeting.
This is the first time for the G8 leaders to mention the abduction issue clearly in any of their statements.
The G8 nations — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and Russia — concluded their three-day gathering in this French spa resort with a one-hour morning session to adopt the statement.