Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday slammed a notification from North Korea the previous day that it might suspend bilateral negotiations on the abduction issue.
"North Korea filed a protest (with Japan) yesterday. We cannot accept it at all," Abe said in a meeting with the abductees' relatives. "We will approach (the abduction issue) with a firm stance."
The meeting came a day after North Korea notified Japan through diplomatic channels in Beijing that bilateral talks are facing difficulties. North Korea also criticized Japan for condemning its human rights record.