Japan and the United States agreed not to give in to North Korea's provocations but to patiently pursue the resumption of nuclear disarmament talks, a Japanese envoy said Monday.
Akitaka Saiki, Japan's representative to talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions, met US envoy Stephen Bosworth, who was in Tokyo on an Asia tour to visit member states of the six-way negotiations.
Japan and the United States have been involved in talks with the two Koreas, China, and Russia aimed at scrapping Pyongyang's nuclear programme in exchange for aid under a landmark agreement signed in 2007.
The negotiations deadlocked late last year over a dispute with the communist regime on how to verify disarmament. Tensions rose sharply with North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket high over Japan on April 5.
Pyongyang said it peacefully sent a satellite into orbit but the United States, South Korea and Japan said it staged a disguised missile test.
"We agreed to remain cool-headed and patient in handling the situation," Saiki told reporters after meeting Bosworth. "It would not be wise to rush in to make some sort of concessions in order to restart the six-way talks."
Saiki said Tokyo and Washington "share the same recognition that the current situation over the disarmament talks is extremely difficult."
Earlier this month, the North threatened to conduct a second nuclear test and ballistic missile tests unless the United Nations Security Council apologised for condemning and punishing its rocket launch.
Bosworth said in China last week that he was willing to hold talks with Pyongyang, but that he has no plans to visit during this trip.
His delegation will head to Moscow after Tokyo while Bosworth will return to Washington on Tuesday, the US embassy said.
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