Japanese PM calls N. Korean nuclear test 'absolutely unacceptable'

By Park Si-soo

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday called North Korea's latest nuclear test "absolutely unacceptable."

"North Korea's carrying out of a nuclear test is absolutely unacceptable for Japan," Abe said, after Pyongyang conducted its fifth nuclear test, believed to be its most powerful to date. He said the test "could not be tolerated and Japan would protest strongly to Pyongyang if confirmed.”

A 5.3-magnitude seismic tremor was recorded on Friday morning near the North’s nuclear test site and it was suspected to be the fifth nuclear test by the North.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters that he has set up and is running an emergency team dedicated to monitoring related developments.

He also said that a nuclear test by the North would violate U.N. Security Council resolutions and agreements reached through the long-stalled six-party denuclearization talks involving the two Koreas, Japan, the United States, Russia and China.

China, the North's closest ally and the host of the six-party talks, has yet to express its official stance on Pyongyang's suspected nuclear test.