The Japanese delegation hoped thatthe ongoing fourth round of six-party talks would achieve a good breakthrough in next 24 hours, said a Japanese official in Beijing Thursday night.

The Japanese official said in response to chief delegate of the United States Christopher Hill's remarks earlier Thursday hoping the process of producing a joint statement could begin within 24 hours.

The official told a news briefing that the one-on-one meeting between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States earlier Thursday was the major content of the agenda of Thursday's six-party talks.

The two delegations from the DPRK and the United States held the third one-on-one meeting for about three hours on Thursday morning, longer than the previous two bilateral meetings.

The Japanese delegation expects progress could be achieved in the bilateral consultations between the DPRK and the United States, the official said.

The DPRK and the United States are expected to hold their fourth one-on-one talks on Friday morning.