Japan and North Korea may hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the planned six-nation meeting over North Korea's nuclear threat, in order to discuss Pyongyang's abductions of Japanese nationals, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda hinted Thursday.
Japan, the United States, South Korea, China, Russia and North Korea will hold a meeting, probably in Beijing, later this month or in early September.
"The abduction problem is an issue between Japan and North Korea," Fukuda told a news conference. "So if we are to discuss details, a bilateral meeting will be necessary."