Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Monday that he believes North Korea is eager to return to the stalled six-nation talks on its nuclear ambitions although it has yet to clearly say so.

"I think it (North Korea) wants in its heart to resolve the nuclear issue by holding a six-party session by all means," Koizumi told reporters in Aichi Prefecture without elaborating.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said earlier Monday that North Korea has started to respond to efforts to get it to return to the six-nation talks on its nuclear weapons program.

North Korea had shown no movement at all since the last talks, but "we consider that some moves have been seen," Hosoda, the government's top spokesman, told a news conference.

Hosoda added that "North Korea has been apparently impressed" by the efforts of the five other parties, which are Japan, South Korea, China, Russia and the United States.

The talks have stalled since the third round was held a year ago in Beijing as North Korea has refused to take part, citing "hostile" U.S. policy toward it.

Hosoda meanwhile said there has been no movement on the issue of North Korea's past abductions of Japanese citizens. Bilateral talks on the issue have stalled since November.

Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi echoed Hosoda's view, telling a separate news conference, "There have been signs suggesting it (North Korea) is turning positive" about resuming the six-party negotiations.

Yachi said among such signs were Pyongyang's positive reactions last week to U.S. President George W. Bush's use of the honorific "Mr." to address its leader, Kim Jong Il.