Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura on Wednesday urged North Korea to return to the six-party talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, after the hermit state declared it is expelling International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors.
On U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's remarks that hinted at direct talks with North Korea to achieve a breakthrough, Kawamura said that while he is not aware of the U.S. intentions, the "basis" should be the six-party talks framework.
"The most sensible way for North Korea . . . is to humbly listen to international opinion and return to the six-party talks process," Kawamura told a regular press conference, referring to the stalled multinational negotiations seeking the denuclearize the North that involve the two Koreas, China, Japan, the United States and Russia.