Japan and China will hold a vice-ministerial security dialogue in Tokyo ahead of the Feb. 25 six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear threat, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hatsuhisa Takashima said Thursday.
Deputy Foreign Minister Hitoshi Tanaka, deeply involved in Japan's policy on North Korean affairs, and his counterpart, Wang Yi, China's negotiator in the six-way talks, will take part in the dialogue as well as defense officials from both sides, Takashima told a news conference.
The dialogue, first held in 1993, is expected to focus on North Korea and preparations for the talks involving both Koreas, China, Japan, the United States and Russia.
Although Takashima said the date of the dialogue has yet to be fixed, he said it will be in the near future.
Japan plans to express its intention of taking up the abduction issue during the six-way talks, although China hopes that the focus will only be on the nuclear problem.
"We will convey our intention to seek a comprehensive solution during the six-way talks," Takashima said.
Japan has argued that all major issues involving North Korea, including the abductions as well as its nuclear arms and missile programs, be resolved in a comprehensive manner.
Meanwhile, Japan will dispatch a mission later this month to the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to reinforce multinational efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.