TOKYO Shinzo Abe, the Japanese Prime Minister, said that Japan and the international community would respond with strong steps if North Korea conducted a second nuclear test. He added that it was important to make efforts to resume six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear programme as soon as possible.

South Korean officials said that activity had been spotted near a suspected nuclear test site in North Korea, but that there was no evidence to suggest that Pyongyang was about to test another atomic device.

Japanese and US militaries were planning joint exercises to practise defending Japan against armed attack, Yashihisa Shiozaki, the Chief Cabinet Secretary, said. “We are planning a simulation of what joint activities between Japan and the US would be best for the defence of Japan,” he said. (Reuters/AP)

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