A Japanese daily says the first round of six-way working-level talks on North Korea's nuclear standoff may start on April 27 in Beijing.

Quoting sources close to the talks, the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper said Sunday that the discussions are likely to last from three to four days.

Officials from South Korea, the United States and Japan said earlier Friday that they want the first round of working-level talks to take place around the end of the month.

The paper said that Japan and North Korea may hold a bilateral meeting on April 26, a day before the working group discussions.