Japan wants North Korea to probe abduction of 1970s

Japan has asked North Korea to carry out a prompt investigation into the fate of Japanese nationals abducted decades ago and inform it of the result at the earliest possible time, an official said Tuesday.

The special investigation committee of North Korea started talks earlier Tuesday with the Japanese delegation led by Junichi Ihara, director general of Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, for an update on the reinvestigation into the abduction during the 1970s and 1980s, Xinhua reported.

During the meeting, chief officials from North Korea's Ministry of State Security and Ministry of People's Security talked about the probe into the abductees and into the missing Japanese citizens respectively. The Japanese delegation also raised questions on the case.

The talks lasted five and a half hours in the day, Ihara said at the briefing.