Japanese and U.S. heads of delegations for the six-party talks agreed here on Friday to maintain cooperation on denuclearizing the Korean peninsula.

Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceania Affairs Bureau director general Kenichiro Sasae and visiting U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs Christopher Hill confirmed the mutual wish at a meeting in the evening.

The two delegates agreed that it is important for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to take immediate action to implement initial steps such as shutting down its nuclear facilities, according to local media.

Both of them urged the DPRK to positively respond to further measures including disabling nuclear facilities, reports said.

When meeting the press after their talks, Sasae said Japan hopes that the DPRK will take a constructive stance toward further measures. Hill, for his part, said the proposed four-party talks of the United States, China, South Korea and the DPRK should be held simultaneously with the six-party talks.

Hill is scheduled to leave for South Korea and China on Sunday to continue his trip in preparation for the six-party talks' delegation heads meeting in Beijing on July 18-19.

Source: Xinhua