Japan's Suga: Don't think Sony hack issue to affect Japan-North Korea talks

TOKYO - Japan's top government spokesman on Thursday said he does not think the cyber-attack against Sony Pictures will directly affect talks on the abduction issue between Japan and North Korea.

US investigators have determined North Korea was behind a cyber-attack on Sony Pictures, a US government source said, an unprecedented act that has forced the studio to cancel releasing a comedy about the fictional assassination of North Korea's leader.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference he is aware of the media reports on Sony Pictures, owned by Japan's Sony Corp (6758.T), but he would refrain from commenting on the issue as it is under investigation.

North Korea has told Japan it intends to deepen its probe into the fate of Japanese citizens kidnapped by Pyongyang decades ago but there was no indication of any imminent breakthrough.