Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Japan, which made no progress in last week's talks with North Korea on the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the communist country's agents, wants another meeting next month, Kyodo News Service said.

North Korea issued a warning after last week's meeting, saying Japan shouldn't raise the subject of kidnappings when six- nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program are held Feb. 25 in China. Otherwise, Japan will be shut out of the international talks, North Korea's government said Saturday.

Japan has determined it would be difficult to discuss the issue at the six-way talks, Kyodo reported, citing unidentified Japanese government officials. Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi yesterday instructed diplomats, who just concluded the talks, to try to hold another round at an early date, Kyodo said.

North Korea abducted Japanese people in the 1970s and 1980s to use them as language instructors for the country's spy training program. Five of the victims were sent back to Japan in October 2002. Their children, and in one case, a husband, were left behind. North Korea hasn't revealed what happened to other kidnapping victims.

(Kyodo, 2-15)

To contact the reporter for this story: Tak Kumakura in Tokyo tkumakura@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: February 15, 2004 17:40 EST