Japanese defense minister sounds alarm on North Korea

CLARK, PHILIPPINES - Japan's defense minister asserted Monday that North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities have grown to an "unprecedented, critical and imminent" level.

The minister, Itsunori Odonera, said that this rising threat means his country, along with South Korea and the United States, have to collectively take what he called "different responses."

His comments, made through an interpreter, came at the outset of a meeting in the Philippines with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and South Korea's defense minister, Song Young-moo.

Onodera noted that North Korea has recently launched ballistic missiles that have overflown Japanese territory and said it cannot be ruled out that a recent underground nuclear test by North Korea was a...Read More HERE