Top Japanese and US negotiators in the six-party talks agreed today to strengthen the two countries' cooperation in the upcoming plenary session of the six-party talks.

The agreement was reached by the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director General Kenichiro Sasae and visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill during their talks in the morning.

Sasae called on the US side to continue its support for resolution of the issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s past abductions of Japanese nationals.

Hill said his country fully understands the importance of the abduction issue. He promised to help improve relations between Japan and the DPRK to create harmonious conditions for the six-party talks.

The two sides vowed to work together in the next phase of the talks to urge the DPRK to disable its nuclear facilities.

The next meeting of the sixth round of the six-party talks will be held in Beijing from tomorrow to Sunday.

The six-party talks, initiated in 2003, involve China, the DPRK, the United States, the Republic of Korea, Russia and Japan.