Nationalist Shinzo Abe, a proponent of a tight alliance with the US and a more assertive military, won election as Japan’s new prime minister today, scoring comfortable majorities in both houses.

North Korean disarmament talks were extended until at least tomorrow as envoys struggled to reach an agreement over a Chinese proposal that would let Pyongyang keep its civilian nuclear power programme after it disarms.

China today urged all countries involved in six-nation talks aimed at dismantling North Korea’s nuclear programme to work harder and to use the talks as an opportunity to end the “cold war state” on the Korean peninsula.

China and the US moved into a third day of high-level meetings today in talks that could help defuse brewing trade and military tensions.

NORTH KOREA has told the US administration it has produced enough plutonium to make six nuclear bombs, it was reported yesterday.