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PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA - OCT. 28: Japan demanded that North Korea put the highest priority on advancing its investigation into the fates of 12 Japanese nationals who are officially recognized by Tokyo as abductees and yet to be repatriated on Tuesday, October 28. "The abduction issue is the most important issue for Japan" from an all-inclusive and comprehensive investigation into all Japanese residing in North Korea that Pyongyang launched in July, chief Japanese delegate Junichi Ihara said at the outset of two days of talks with North Korea's special investigation committee through Wednesday in Pyongyang. So Tae Ha, chairman of the North's committee who is counselor for security at the National Defense Commission, the top state organ headed by leader Kim Jong Un, and its two vice chairmen were present at the talks. It is the first dispatch of a Japanese government mission to North Korea since November 2004. Prior to the talks, So, clad in military uniform, met with Ihara, director general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau of the Foreign Ministry. So is also vice minister of state security. The Ministry of State Security is a North Korean secret police organ. Speaking at the talks part of which was open to the media, So said the mission's visit is a "right choice by the Japanese government to show its will to implement an accord the two countries struck in Stockholm" in May.