U.S. special envoy to North Korea Stephen Bosworth met with the Japanese foreign minister on Friday to discuss ways to resume the six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear program.

Bosworth has been touring Asia since Tuesday, seeking to restart stalled negotiations aimed at ending the isolated country's nuclear ambitions.

Earlier on Wednesday Bosworth told reporters in Beijing that North Korea's neighbors and the United States want fresh momentum in trying to restart the talks.

He also said the halted dialogues would eventually resume after he met South Korea's chief nuclear envoy in Seoul on Thursday.

North Korea has said it could end its nuclear arms program if the United States drops what Pyongyang calls a "hostile policy," and it has also demanded that Washington agree to peace treaty talks and lift sanctions.

Washington has said North Korea's demands can be addressed only along with renewed nuclear disarmament steps by Pyongyang.