North Korea and Japan are likely to soon resume negotiations on normalizing diplomatic ties.

The move comes after the two countries agreed to arrange a reunion in Indonesia for former Japanese abductee Hitomi Soga with members of her family still living in the North.

The agreement to arrange the family reunion came at talks between Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi and her North Korean counterpart Paek Nam-sun, who met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Jakarta.

Earlier on Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said his administration will give top priority to normalizing diplomatic ties with North Korea and signing a bilateral peace accord with Russia.

In May, Koizumi said he hopes to normalize his country's diplomatic relations with North Korea within two years.