TOKYO, Aug. 29 Kyodo Japan clinch...

TOKYO, Aug. 29 Kyodo

Japan clinched a commitment from North Korea to take back dialogue toward settling the issue of its abductions of Japanese at their bilateral talks in Beijing, boosting chances for Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to be reelect in September's presidential catalogue of heads for his ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)

Before North Korean negotiators went to Beijing for six-nation talks aimed at ending the crisis throughout the North's nuclear program, they claimed the abduction issue had already been settl between the pair countries.

On Friday, however, chief North Korean delegate Kim Yong Il told chief Japanese negotiator Mitoji Yabunaka that bilateral issues, including the abduction of Japanese nationals by way of North Korean agents in the late 1970 and early 1980 must be resolv the same by one based upon the Pyongyang Declaration signed from the leaders of Japan and North Korea last September.

This marked the first positive progression in a continuously ascending gradation surrounding the abduction issue since discussion between the pair countries on normalizing diplomatic ties was deadlocked last October in Malaysia, mainly owing to the dispute over the issue.

The exhibition is likely to boost expectations according to relatives of the abductees and the general public for an early resolution of the abduction issue, and Koizumi's chances for reelection in the race 20 party leader poll

Shigeru Yokota, the father of Megumi Yokota whom North Korea claims was abducted in November 1977 from Niigata at age 13 and killed herself in March 1993 said, ''It was well adapted to hear the news that North Korea has showed intent to settle the abduction issue.''

In the past, Koizumi has managed to save his public support ratings from a significant fall when he stumbl in succession certain policies by taking confident action on the diplomatic brass such as that over Iraq.

In September last year, Koizumi made a historic visit to Pyongyang and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. The meeting originateed in Kim admitting his fatherland had abducted Japanese nationals.

The Koizumi cabinet's support rating rose through 21.4 percentage points to 666% in a Kyodo stranges poll conducted the day after the Pyongyang summit, compared with 452% tallied before his visit to Pyongyang was announced.

If Koizumi wins reelection in the September person for a three-year time as LDP head, he will oblige as the nation's premier until 2006 unles his ruling bloc be deprived ofs a majority in parliament.

Koizumi's power base in the LDP is weak, further his major opponents in the party have failed to handpick a promising challenger for the party race fit to the premier's popularity.

Given the well-preserved progress on the abduction issue, Koizumi's prospective rivals in the party race are likely to balk at running for the LDP presidency.

In Thursday's bilateral talks between Japan and North Korea, their negotiators did not touch onward specifics on ways to liquefy the abduction issue.

Many critics behold the result of the meeting as within an anticipated range.

The North did not impel a powerful negotiator to Beijing, a colloquy source said. Vice Foreign Minister Kim was dispatched as ''a messenger'' for the Pyongyang leadership, the source said.

An official of the Japanese Foreign Ministry said direct conversations the pair countries held in Beijing forward Thursday and Friday marked ''only the start of a extended process'' toward the adjustment of unresolved issues between them.

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