Japan expects substantial and comprehensive discussions in the third round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and will make positive contributions to resolve the issue, said Japanese delegation head Mitoji Yabunaka in Beijing Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the six-party talks.  

It had been ten months since the six-party talks were started last summer, said Mitoji Yabunaka, and whether this round of talks makes positive progress will test the credibility of this process itself, while facing nuclear development as the most pressing issue.

Mitoji Yabunaka, also director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, said that this round of talks will be in the meantime a good opportunity and tough challenge for peacefully resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

The six parties should not seal themselves off in a stalemate of mistrusting each other, but should make concerted efforts for resolving the issue, said Mitoji Yabunaka, and Japan will make positive contributions to this end.

The third round of six-party talks, involving China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan, will run from Wednesday to Saturday.

(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2004)