North Korea to deepen probe into Japanese abductees - Japan's Abe

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks during a high-level summit on strengthening international peace operations on the sidelines of the the 69th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters in New York, September 26, 2014. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR47UNV

TOKYO (Reuters) - North Korea had told Japan it intends to deepen its probe into the fate of Japanese citizens kidnapped by Pyongyang decades ago, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday, but there was no indication of any imminent breakthrough.

Abe's administration is under fire for fund-related scandals in his cabinet that have forced two ministers to resign and put others under scrutiny, and any progress in the talks with North Korea would provide a welcome relief.