Japan says it will closely cooperate with South Korea and the United States regarding North Korea issues.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga made the remark on Friday at a briefing when asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent statement stressing the need for six-party talks on the North's nuclear program.

Suga said Japan and other concerned parties should discuss how to achieve peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

When asked whether that means Japan will put more focus on its joint front with the U.S. and trilateral ties with the U.S. and South Korea rather than the six-party nuclear dialogue, Suga said his country is committed to both and that it will also seek sincere collaboration with Russia and China.