Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has called on North Korea to return to six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.
Mr. Koizumi told reporters that North Korea needs to understand that it is in its own best interests to give up all nuclear programs.
North Korea's main state-run newspaper said Tuesday that six-nation talks could resume if the United States changed what it called a "hostile policy" against Pyongyang.
The two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan have held three rounds of talks in Beijing on Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.
North Korea refused to attend a fourth round of talks planned for September because, experts believe, it was awaiting the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.