Japan and North Korea are trying to schedule their next round talks on bilateral issues in mid-March. The talks would address the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by the North, among others.

The two countries are working on finalizing the arrangements in discussions on the sidelines of the six-party nuclear talks in Beijing.

The next bilateral dialogue is expected to center on gaining concessions from North Korea on Japan's demand that the North allow the families of five abductees to travel Japan.

The five abductees were repatriated in October Two-thousand-two after spending 24 years in the North.

After the second day of the six-nation talks on Thursday, a Japanese official said Tokyo will not join international efforts to provide energy aid to Pyongyang even if it agrees to dismantle its nuclear programs without the resolution of the abductee issue.