TOKYO, May 9 (UPI) -- North Korea reportedly asked Japan several times in March and April for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to visit and pick up relatives of Japanese abductees.
Japanese government officials told the Kyodo news service that the North Korean government offered to return seven Korean-born children and the American husband of the five Japanese repatriated in October, 2002. The offer is contingent on Koizumi going to North Korea.
North Korea told Japan it wants top-level talks to resolve pending issues with Japan, Kyodo reported Monday.
During bilateral talks held in Beijing last week, Japan unofficially proposed Koizumi pay another visit to Pyongyang. The two countries are expected to resume negotiations soon to fix a date for Koizumi's trip, they said.
The five Japanese nationals were abducted by North Korean agents in 1978. The families they acquired in North Korea were not allowed to leave.
