North Korea is not planning a second nuclear test and is willing to return to six-party talks under certain conditions but warned that it would take action if it feels pressured, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said today.

Optimism that three Japanese civilians held hostage in Iraq would be quickly released evaporated today, when Tokyo’s top government spokesman backtracked on an earlier statement and said authorities were no longer confident about their safety.

Japan has opened an emergency office at its diplomatic mission in Jordan to co-ordinate rescue efforts for its three citizens taken hostage in neighbouring Iraq, a Japanese Embassy official said today.

North Korea has expressed a “readiness” to abolish its nuclear programme, a Japanese official said today.