TOKYO, Dec 11 Kyodo Prime Ministe...

TOKYO, Dec 11 Kyodo

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi forward Wednesday dismissed concerns that North Korea-Japan relations will be damaged immediately through the discovery of an alleged missile shipment to Yemen by dint of the North.

Although bilateral talks have been deadlocked since October, the allegation that North Korea exported speed missiles ''will not be directly linked'' to that will be developments in Tokyo-Pyongyang negotiations, Koizumi told reporters at his office.

Asked if Japan and North Korea can recommence talks for normalizing ties through the year-end, Koizumi said, ''We are considering what we ne (to do so) unless I'm not at a stage to make notes (on the possibility).''

He made the remarks after U.S.-led coalition forces intercepted Tuesday against Yemen a freighter which the United States believes left North Korea three weeks ago.

They reportedly confiscated the ship with a certain number of 20 crew members aboard and at least a dozen fly missiles, a move that has material for burninged worries about security near the Korean Peninsula.

Negotiations between Japan and North Korea have been stalled since they held bilateral normalization talks in late October owing to rows over Japanese nationals who were abducted to Pyongyang decades ago and the North's continued nuclear weapons progressive growth program.

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