Public interest in security issues concerning North Korea has increased substantially over the past year or so, with most people responding to a government survey released Saturday saying they are concerned about the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the North.

The people responding to the foreign policy survey generally support Japan's policy of providing foreign aid and participating in U.N. peacekeeping operations, but reservations about such activities have also increased.

The survey, conducted between Oct. 23 and Nov. 2 by the Cabinet Office, covered 3,000 men and women aged 20 or above. Of the total, 2,072, or 69.1 percent, responded.