Rice pledges defence support to Japan

TOKYO – US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged the swift and effective implementation of sanctions against North Korea yesterday, arguing that the United States had no desire to escalate the crisis over Pyongyang’s nuclear test.

Rice also reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to the defence of Japan, its top ally in the region and home to 50 000 US troops. North Korea’s nuclear test last week has raised concerns of an arms race in the region.”The United States has no desire to escalate this crisis.We would like to see it de-escalate,” Rice told reporters in a joint news conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso.”This is not a blockade or a quarantine,” she added, referring to the UN sanctions.Aso, meanwhile, reiterated that Japan had no plans to develop nuclear weapons.Many fear that such a move by Japan could encourage South Korea to follow suit and anger China, raising tensions in the region.”The government is absolutely not considering a need to be armed by nuclear weapons,” Aso said.”We do not need to acquire nuclear arms with an assurance by US Secretary of State Rice that the bilateral alliance would work without fault.”Rice arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday for talks with Japanese officials amid fears North Korea could be readying for a second nuclear test.After Aso, she was to meet with Defence chief Fumio Kyuma yesterday and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tomorrow before heading with Aso to Seoul.Of immediate concern was the prospect of North Korea following its October 9 test with a second nuclear detonation, a move that would heighten tensions further.South Korea urged the North on Wednesday not to take any action that would conflict with a UN resolution sanctioning Pyongyang for the test.Pyongyang appeared unperturbed by the flurry of diplomatic activity, widespread outrage and UN sanctions.A foreign ministry statement said on Tuesday that North Korea had withstood international pressure before and was hardly likely to yield now it had become a nuclear power.Nampa-APNorth Korea’s nuclear test last week has raised concerns of an arms race in the region.”The United States has no desire to escalate this crisis.We would like to see it de-escalate,” Rice told reporters in a joint news conference with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso.”This is not a blockade or a quarantine,” she added, referring to the UN sanctions.Aso, meanwhile, reiterated that Japan had no plans to develop nuclear weapons.Many fear that such a move by Japan could encourage South Korea to follow suit and anger China, raising tensions in the region.”The government is absolutely not considering a need to be armed by nuclear weapons,” Aso said.”We do not need to acquire nuclear arms with an assurance by US Secretary of State Rice that the bilateral alliance would work without fault.”Rice arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday for talks with Japanese officials amid fears North Korea could be readying for a second nuclear test.After Aso, she was to meet with Defence chief Fumio Kyuma yesterday and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tomorrow before heading with Aso to Seoul.Of immediate concern was the prospect of North Korea following its October 9 test with a second nuclear detonation, a move that would heighten tensions further.South Korea urged the North on Wednesday not to take any action that would conflict with a UN resolution sanctioning Pyongyang for the test.Pyongyang appeared unperturbed by the flurry of diplomatic activity, widespread outrage and UN sanctions.A foreign ministry statement said on Tuesday that North Korea had withstood international pressure before and was hardly likely to yield now it had become a nuclear power.Nampa-AP