PYONGYANG, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of the Japanese Foreign Ministry on Saturday concluded a four-day visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

    The delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Hitoshi Tanaka, paid a courtesy call on Kang Sok Ju, DPRK First Vice Foreign Minister, and held talks with DPRK Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Yong Il, a spokesman for the ministry told the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

    The issues discussed included DPRK-Japan relations, the nuclearissue on the Korean Peninsula and the abduction issue.

    The DPRK side demanded during the talks that Japan clarify its willingness to implement the DPRK-Japan Pyongyang Declaration and strongly accused it of applying sanctions against the DPRK throughlegislation.

    The DPRK also expressed dissatisfaction towards Japan's attitude on the abduction issue, accusing Japan of breaking promises made to the DPRK.

    "If the Japanese side raises again the abduction issue at the next round of the six-way talks the DPRK side will resolutely shutout Japan's participation in the talks...and this will bring everything to a collapse," the spokesman was quoted as saying.

    The DPRK admitted at a summit meeting in 2002 that it abducted 13 Japanese in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

    It said eight of the abductees had died -- a claim Japan doubts-- and let the remaining five return to Japan for a visit while keeping back their family members. All five remained in Japan after the visit.

    Japan has been asking the DPRK to allow a reunion, while the DPRK accuses Japan of reneging on a promise to return the five.

    Japanese media reports said the two sides agreed to continue bilateral talks on the dispute over the kidnapped Japanese. The KCNA report did not mention this.

    During the talks, the DPRK also demanded Japan immediately return to the DPRK more than 20 Koreans recently abducted by a Japanese organization with the tacit connivance of the Japanese authorities.

    In addition, the DPRK strongly urged Japan to fully apologize and compensate for its crimes during its colonial rule and military occupation in the past and other human rights abuses, theKCNA report said. Enditem