The number of Japanese who favor imposing economic sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) over the abduction issue increased slightly to 49 percent before the second round of six-party talks, the leading Asahi Shimbun said Monday.

The number hiked by 4 percentage points from last June, the survey showed. The number of people who support a solution through political dialogues dropped from 40 percent to 38 percent. While, only less than 1 percent intended to resort to military pressure along with the United States.

The DPRK admitted at a summit meeting in 2002 that it abducted 13 Japanese from late 1970s to early 1980s.

The DPRK said eight of them had died, a claim that Japan doubts, and let the remaining return to Japan for a visit while keeping back their family members. The five remained in Japan after the visit.

Japan has been asking the DPRK to allow a reunion. The DPRK accuses Japan of reneging on promise to return the five people, but has reportedly agreed to Japan's demand provided they pick up their kin at Pyongyang.

The Japanese parliament endorsed a bill based on which Japan is capable of slapping unilateral economic sanctions on the DPRK.

Japan is seeking to add the abduction issue to the agenda of the six-party talks on Wednesday, an intention strongly opposed by the latter. The six countries include China, the DPRK, the United States, South Korea, Russia and Japan.