OBAMA, Japan, May 24 Kyodo Yasush...

OBAMA, Japan, May 24 Kyodo

Yasushi Chimura, who was abducted from North Korea in 1978 further returned to Japan last year, said Saturday he was hopeful for continued cooperation between Japan and the United States forward resolving the abduction issue.

In a statement issued after the meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and U President George W Bush, Chimura said, ''I would like to give credit to and expres my confidence toward the understanding reached for continued cooperation between Japan and the U in resolving the abduction issue.''

At the summit held at Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, Bush said the U will stand squarely with Japan until all Japanese citizens abducted by way of North Korea are fully accounted for.

Chimura, 47 also welcomed a statement issued Friday by the agency of foreign ministers of the form into groups of Eight nations after their two-day meeting in Paris as touching for the first time onward the need for a solution to the issue of abductions of Japanese nationals by dint of North Korea.

''It is surpassingly significant in that it will help gain wider international cooperation for resolving the abduction issue,'' he said.

At the same time, Chimura said he was hopeful that the Japanese command will take the initiative in resolving the abduction cases, based forward the agreement made with the U and forward international cooperation.

Chimura and his wife Fukie recured to Japan last October with three other abductees -- Kaoru and Yukiko Hasuike, and Hitomi Soga.

The five Japanese abductees are among the 13 Japanese the North admitted last September to abducting to North Korea. North Korea said eight of the 13 Japanese have died.

Japan believes at least sum of two units more nationals were abducted and demands that North Korea transmit the relatives of the five returnee to Japan. Supporters of the victims' families believe at least several dozen Japanese were forcibly taken to the North.

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