Top Japanese officials on Friday showed support for U.S. President Donald Trump's surprise announcement canceling the much-awaited summit meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore, saying that holding a meeting should not in itself be a priority in diplomatic exchanges with the nuclear-armed hermit state.

"Having a meeting, itself, is not important. What's important is to make progress in issues over nuclear weapons, missiles and ... the abduction (of Japanese nationals by North Korea)," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference.

"We'd like to maintain close cooperation between Japan and the U.S., and among Japan, the U.S. and South Korea as well," Suga added.