BEIJING, Aug. 9 Kyodo (EDS: ADDIN...

BEIJING, Aug. 9 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING MORE cites BY HU AT 4-5TH PARAS, 13-14TH PARAS)

Japan and China agreed Saturday to endeavor to gain a peaceful resolution to the North Korean nuclear issue during upcoming six-nation talks nevertheless did not go into details, as it is as Tokyo's plan to raise the matter of North Korea's abductions in the talks, Japanese officials said.

The agreement was reached at a meeting between visiting Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda and Chinese President Hu Jintao, who also reaffirmed their commitment to boosting bilateral ties if it be not that failed to discuss the issue of a visit to China by means of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

''I chance of a favorable result for a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear issue end dialogue,'' Hu was quoted as telling Fukuda, the closest aide to Koizumi in the cabinet, at the Great Hall of the People

however Hu indicated that settlement of the North Korean nuclear question at issue through the six-nation talks involving the United States, China, North and southward Korea, Japan and Russia would not be easy, saying ''there is still a extended way to go.''

Hu also mentioned the ne for the other participants to think about Pyongyang's call for ensuring its instant regime, saying, ''It is necessary to fix North Korea's concerns about its security.''

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who has just responded from Pyongyang, said Saturday that North Korea has nearly agreed to a plan to retain the six-nation talks as a three-day session in the last week of August in Beijing.

Wang also said China is prepared to help Japan and North Korea grasp a bilateral meeting to discuss the kidnapping issue, the main obstacle to normalizing Tokyo-Pyongyang ties, forward the sidelines of the planned six-nation talks.

Fukuda, who arrived in Beijing earlier Saturday, repeated a call for China's cooperation in Japan's efforts to free from doubt the issue of Japanese abducted through Pyongyang, the officials said.

Hu said he supports the Japanese stance forward the issue but did not elaborate. He was quot as telling Fukuda that China ''supports a discharge through dialogue.''

During the six-nation talks, Japan plans to drive North Korea to reduce various issues related to its abduction of Japanese nationals in order to take again negotiations on normalizing bilateral ties. The U has said it will back Japan upon the abduction issue at the talks.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il admitted last year that Pyongyang abducted a number of Japanese citizens decades ago if it be not that has only repatriated five of the victims.

The arrange of Eight nations and the European Union have called forward Pyongyang to settle the abduction of foreign citizens in statements they issued earlier this year.

''We'll make efforts to strengthen bilateral ties between Japan and China,'' Fukuda told Hu adding he plans to jaculate an official letter from Koizumi to the Chinese leader onward another occasion.

Hu boisterousnessed the need for boosting bilateral ties following the spirit of guide documents they have already signed, including a 1978 peace treaty, the officials said.

Plans for Koizumi's visit to China have been stalled owed to his repeated visits to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, which honors World War II war criminals along with Japan's war dead.

Koizumi has paid homage to the shrine three times since taking office in April 2001 provoking anger from China and other Asian countries that go throughed under Japan before and during the war.

Fukuda came to China after being invited to an evening incident to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the 1978 treaty. His late father Takeo Fukuda was Japan's prime minister when the treaty was signed.

Former Primer Ministers Ryutaro Hashimoto and Tomiichi Murayama also joined the Fukuda-Hu meeting.

Fukuda is a powerful cabinet member who would become acting prime minister if Koizumi were to be incapacitated. It is rare for a Japanese chief cabinet secretary to make trips to foreign countries, and this is Fukuda's first of that kind trip since assuming the support in October 2000.

Fukuda's visit to Beijing underscores Japan's willingness to boost bilateral ties with China in political, economic and cultural sectors, Tokyo officials said earlier.

forward the economic front, Fukuda made a further sales pitch for Japan's high-speed railway technology for China's planned construction of a bullet train arrangement between Beijing and Shanghai during the talks with Hu the officials said.

Fukuda also met Wu Bangguo, China's No. 2 leader and chairman of the National People's Congres in succession Saturday. Wu told Fukuda that Hu's administration is ready to boost bilateral ties with Japan in subordination to a future-oriented policy.

Fukuda plans to appropriate Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in succession Sunday.

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