The group of lawmakers left for Washington ahead of a trip by Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who will hold his first summit with President George W. Bush on Friday amid a rift over North Korea.

The United States has agreed that it would take North Korea off its list of state sponsors of terrorism in exchange for progress in a February six-nation deal under which Pyongyang agreed to end its nuclear programme.

Japan has strongly opposed the idea, demanding movement first in the emotionally charged kidnapping dispute.

North Korea admitted in 2002 it kidnapped Japanese civilians in the 1970s and 1980s to train its spies. It returned five abductees but Japan says more are alive and being kept under wraps.

"President Bush has said the United States won't ignore the abduction issue," Takeo Hiranuma, a senior lawmaker, told reporters as he left with five other MPs from the ruling and opposition blocs.

"We would like make a strong appeal," he said.

The lawmakers, along with relatives of abduction victims who headed to Washington earlier, will meet with Christopher Hill, the chief US negotiator on ending North Korea's nuclear drive.

Hill has said that the United States shares Japan's concerns about the abductions.

But State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said Tuesday that the process to potentially remove North Korea from the black list was based on US laws.

"In terms of the abductee issue, the two are not necessarily specifically linked. On the other hand, as Chris (Hill) has said repeatedly, we are very sensitive to this issue for the Japanese government. It's an important one," Casey said.

The designation as a state sponsor of terrorism prevents the impoverished communist state from receiving US economic aid and blocks loans from the World Bank and other multilateral organisations.

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