Japan on North Korea delisting: official calm and some upset

By Linda Sieg and Chisa Fujioka

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan pledged on Sunday to try to resolve an emotive dispute with North Korea over citizens abducted by Pyongyang decades ago, after Washington took the secretive communist state off its terrorist blacklist.

The United States, seeking to revive faltering talks on denuclearisation by North Korea, removed it from the list after Pyongyang agreed to measures to verify its nuclear facilities.

The step had been held up by Tokyo's objections until the issue of the abduction of Japanese nationals was addressed.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said Japan was committed to making progress on the abductees dispute.

"The Japanese government will proceed with strong determination so that this matter is not left behind," he told reporters.

Prime Minister Taro Aso denied Tokyo would have less leverage in trying to settle the abductees feud.

"We can talk thoroughly about the abductions in future negotiations," he was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency.

Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said in a statement Tokyo would work with Washington to resolve the abductees issue, and called for a strict system of verification of the North's nuclear facilities.