The foreign ministers of Japan and the United States say peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula should be the priority after the death of North Korea's leader.

Koichiro Gemba and Hillary Clinton spoke to a news conference at the State Department in Washington on Monday.

Clinton said the US and Japan share a common interest in a peaceful and stable transition of power in North Korea. She said the US will be in close contact with other partners in the six-party talks.

Gemba said he agreed that the death of Kim Jong Il should not negatively affect the peace and stability on the peninsula.

He said Japan, the US and South Korea must monitor the North's political transition and liaise closely with each other.

He said he will convey the details of his meeting with Clinton to the foreign ministers of South Korea and China.

Gemba also said the recent development has reignited Japanese people's interest in the abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea. He said he sought the understanding and cooperation of the US on the matter.

He added that the members of the six-party talks must work closely together to ensure the North takes concrete steps toward denuclearization.

Source: http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20111220_04.html

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