A major Japanese daily says Japan is seeking foreign ministerial talks with North Korea on the sidelines of a regional forum opening in Singapore this week.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun said Sunday that if the talks are held, Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura will press North Korea counterpart Pak Ui-chun (photo) on a reinvestigation of Pyongyang's past abductions of Japanese citizens at an early date.

Tokyo is insisting on a resolution of the abductions, but is shunning giving energy assistance to Pyongyang, making the prospects of the request unclear.

The North last month agreed on a reinvestigation at working-level talks in Beijing, but no follow-up discussions on details have been held since.