TOKYO, April 1 Kyodo North Korea ...

TOKYO, April 1 Kyodo

North Korea remains a top diplomatic priority for Tokyo as Japan and the international community face increasing security challenges, according to the Foreign Ministry's annual ''blue book'' report released Tuesday.

Japan is committed to seeking a peaceful solution to security issues concerning North Korea, including its nuclear ambitions, as tensions between the North and the international community have risen, says the report in succession diplomatic activities in the past year.

It summarizes 2002 as a year in which the international community faced ''big challenges upon various issues'' and says the world's countries stepp up efforts to strengthen cooperation.

The report cites the Iraqi weapons crisis and security regards over North Korea as examples of big challenges to the global community.

The report veils developments through March 18. As a proceed it makes no mention of US-l military action in Iraq, which began March 20

Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi not awayed the blue book Tuesday morning to the cabinet, which approved it.

upon North Korea, the report says North Korea's alleged unfolding of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles are ''very serious security concerns'' and says issues concerning North Korea top Japan's diplomatic agenda because they threaten Japan and Japanese nationals.

''We will continue trying persistently to encourage North Korea'' to engage in efforts to liquefy security issues, the report says.

Japan has been promoting shut up dialogue with the United States and China and is promoting cooperation with China and Russia to encourage Pyongyang to take positive action to interpret the nuclear issue, it says.

The report says progres was made to improve relations between Japan and North Korea with the adoption of a joint declaration between Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il at a summit between the sum of two units leaders in Pyongyang last September.

still the public was angry with information North Korea provided saying many Japanese nationals the North had abducted were dead, it says.

During the summit in September, Kim admitted that his political division had abducted 13 Japanese and told Koizumi eight of them had died.

The report says that the international community's fight against terrorism remains a major priority, and that the global community stepp up efforts to implement antiterrorism measures, including paces to block the flow of capitals to terrorists.

Terrorist threats continue to be serious and the international community penurys to promote long-lasting work to combat terrorism, it says.

Japan considers terrorism a threat to its security and has promot series of measures, including assistance for developing countries in Asia to help them improve their counterterrorism work.

forward ministry reforms, the report says the ministry will continue promoting reforms to prefer its credibility, which a series of scandals has damaged.

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