Visiting chief U.S. nuclear envoy Christopher Hill and his Japanese counterpart Kenichiro Sasae said Saturday that the two countries will strengthen cooperation on solving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.

After briefing Sasae on his visit to Pyongyang earlier this week, Hill told reporters that he expected the next round of six- party talks to reopen early in July, which involve the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

Hill said earlier in the day that the DPRK may shut down the Yongbyon nuclear facilities "within probably three weeks."

The U.S. assistant secretary of state said Washington is ready to reopen the talks after the shutdown of the Yongbyon reactor and is ready to discuss future steps.

Sasae said after meeting with Hill that he thinks the DPRK has realized the necessity to improve relations with Japan and Japan will work to solve abduction issues with the U.S. support.

Hill came to Japan after stopping over in South Korea to brief negotiators there. His surprise trip to Pyongyang was the first by a high-ranking U.S. negotiator in nearly five years.

The top U.S. nuclear envoy said that he had "good discussions" with DPRK Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun and chief nuclear negotiator Kim Kye Gwan there.

Source: Xinhua