Abe said Japan hoped for peaceful dialogue with Pyongyang, "but at the same time, dialogue for the sake of dialogue is valueless and it is necessary for us to exercise pressure North Korea so that it comes forward and engages in this serious dialogue".
Military officials believe shooting down North Korean test missiles would accomplish two things - hindering Pyongyang's ability to develop long-range missiles capable of reaching the United States, and sending a clear message that its saber-rattling will not be tolerated by President Donald Trump's administration.
"We have to avoid all military escalation", Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told LCP television.
The American vice president is on a 10-day trip to Asia that has been dominated by the North Korea issue. "It's a major danger".
A State Department official said yesterday that the USA would continue trying to further isolate North Korea economically, politically and diplomatically.
He also said, "We are with you 100 percent", adding that the USA always seeks peace.
In an exclusive interview with Fox & Friends that aired on Tuesday, President Trump revealed he may not be sure who now rules North Korea.
It's easy to laugh at the gaffe, but Trump's ignorance about the leadership of one of the most unsafe nations on earth is deeply worrying given that tensions between the U.S. and North Korea are increasing by the day.
The term "reckless" is one the North Koreans have used to describe continuing large-scale US and South Korean military exercises, which the North calls a dress rehearsal for an invasion.
Explosion at north London property leaves man with serious burns
Three police officers - two of them female - were injured and a man is critically ill following an explosion in north London. I saw big smoke and police shouting for people to move backwards and out of the way because there was an explosion.
"The loss of US participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership was a blow to Japan following strenuous negotiations, especially over opening its long-protected farm sector to more imports, especially of dairy and meat products".
North Korea recently unveiled footage of a simulated nuclear strike on a US city to celebrate a major national holiday.
Trump says the USA wants peace and he hopes North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un wants peace.
The plan has been controversial in South Korea, with some anxious that it would make the South more of a target for North Korean missiles and others concerned about economic revenge being exacted by China. Beijing has become frustrated by the North's repeated provocations that ignore China's opposition. The high-profile failure came as the North tried to showcase its nuclear and missile capabilities around the birth anniversary of the North's late founder and as a USA aircraft carrier neared the Korean Peninsula.
President Trump has signaled that he will not hesitate to take military action against enemies of the United States, as evidenced by his bombing of a Syrian airfield and an ISIS cave in Afghanistan last week.
At a joint news conference with Mr Aso, Mr Pence said: "At some point in future there may be a decision made between our nations to take what we have learnt in this dialogue and commence formal negotiations for a free trade agreement".
The BBC's Stephen McDonell in Beijing says the Chinese government appears to be becoming increasingly frustrated with North Korea, its traditional ally. Trump tweeted on Sunday.
"I still see this as escalatory and playing with potential fire", Ken Gause, director of the international-affairs group at the think-tank CNA, said. It is preparing for an upcoming deployment, but the carrier isn't expected to depart for at least another month. That led North Korea to issue routine threats of attacks on its rivals if they show signs of aggression. But confrontation and conflict will not resolve the problem, and may worsen it as North Korea is nuclear and unpredictable. Recent satellite imagery suggests the country could conduct another underground nuclear test at any time.
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