A Japanese Foreign Ministry delegation is in Pyongyang to seek a breakthrough in the issue of abducted Japanese nationals ahead of the next six-party nuclear talks.

The five-member delegation plans to urge Pyongyang to hold one-on-one talks on the abductee issue and to return as early as possible family members of five former abductees.

According to Japan?s NHK-TV, the delegation is expected to convey to the North that it would be difficult to normalize bilateral diplomatic ties if North Korea refuses to return the abductees' family members.

Deputy Foreign Minister Hitoshi Tanaka and Mitoji Yabunaka, head of the ministry?s Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, accompanied by three other diplomats, arrived in Pyongyang Wednesday for four days of talks.

The delegation is scheduled to return to Japan on Saturday.