The U.S. State Department says the U.S., South Korea and Japan have agreed on the importance of improving inter-Korean relations and resolving the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea.

Following a day-long trilateral meeting in Washington Tuesday, the state department said the three countries also reaffirmed their will to observe the September 19th, 2005 Joint Statement, which pursues the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The department also confirmed efforts are under way to hold a meeting among the top diplomats of the three nations this year. It said U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton hopes to meet with foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan in the second half of 2012.