Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) called the comments made last week by Japan's Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara "a positive step" toward improving relations, Japan's Kyodo News agency reported.

KCNA said on its website that Maehara's comments, made on January 4 in Tokyo, "match the tide of the time to advance peace and stability in the new century and developments of nation-to-nation relations".

"We are ready to meet and talk with countries that are friendly to us," KCNA said. "If Japanese authorities move to improve ties, it would contribute to peace and development on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia."

Kyodo said the KCNA commentary, published at the weekend, did not touch on issues such as Pyongyang's abduction of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 80s, or Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean peninsula.

Relations have long been hostile between Japan and North Korea, a communist state that has kept the region on edge with nuclear and missile tests, and which in November killed four people in an artillery strike on South Korea.

In recent days, North Korea has, however, urged a resumption of talks with South Korea -- an offer that has met with some skepticism in Seoul and Washington, which has demanded North Korea match its words with actions.

The US State Department said Monday that North Korea had entered "the charm stage" after a year of provocations, in which it was also blamed by a multinational panel for sinking a South Korean warship, killing 46.

During a news conference Tuesday, Maehara reiterated Japan's willingness to resume stalled talks with North Korea, with which Japan has no formal diplomatic relations, saying: "We want to firmly proceed with direct dialogue."

Maehara also hinted that Tokyo may go ahead with bilateral talks even before the resumption of six-way talks on the North's nuclear programme, which also include both Koreas, the United States, China and Russia.

"Six-way talks are the framework for discussing the nuclear issue," Maehara said. "We also have abduction and missile issues. I think Japan-North Korea talks should take place without being bound by whether six-way talks begin."

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