BEIJING, Nov. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- The talks with Japan is held in "good" atmosphere, said Song Il-Ho, head of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) delegation to the one-on-one talks with Japan here Thursday noon.

    Song said after the meeting in the morning that during the first day of the talks, the two sides talked about what they are interested in, including some problems left over in the past, and elaborated fundamental stances to each other.

    Akitaka Saiki, head of the Japanese delegation and deputy head of the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, said the two sides have seriously exchanged views on each other's stances.

    Prior to the two-day talks between Japan and the DPRK, Li Bin, Chinese ambassador for Korean Peninsula Affairs, met with Akitaka Saiki on Wednesday evening, exchanging views on how to proceed in the next round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, sources with the Japanese embassy to China said.

    China, as host nation of the six-party talks, has played an important role in seeking for peaceful solutions to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. The talks, involving China, the DPRK, theUnited States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan, have been held in Beijing for four rounds, and all concerned parties now have agreed in principle to hold the fifth round of six-party talks in early November. China has always kept close coordination with all parties during the process.

    Akitaka Saiki and Li Bin reaffirmed during their meeting that Japan and China will continue to closely cooperate so that progress can be achieved in the next round of talks toward the steady implementation of a joint statement adopted in the last round of talks, according to sources with the Japanese embassy.

    Li also told Saiki that coordination is under way to begin the fifth round of talks next week.

    As to topics of the Japan-DPRK talks in Beijing, Akitaka Saiki told reporters upon arrival in this Chinese capital on Wednesday that the abduction issue will top the agenda for the Japanese side.

    "Through the talks, we hope to make our position clear to the DPRK and get further knowledge about their stance," Saiki said.

    It is reported that the DPRK acknowledged that it abducted 13 Japanese in the 1970s-1980s, of whom 8 have died. After Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited the DPRK, the remaining five and their family members returned to Japan. Japan demands the DPRK to provide death testimonials for the 8 dead Japanese and evidence about other missing Japanese.

    "With the abduction issue comprehensively resolved can the two countries be able to normalize diplomatic ties," Saiki said

    It is reported that the DPRK is expected to focus on war reparation from Japan during the one-on-one meeting in Beijing. Enditem