Japan pressures North Korea to cancel nuclear test

Japan pressed a divided UN Security Council to adopt a statement urging North Korea to cancel its planned nuclear test and return immediately to six-party talks aimed at persuading Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear weapons programme.

Japan’s UN Ambassador Kenzo Oshima, the current council president, circulated a draft text warning North Korea that a nuclear test would bring international condemnation, and "jeopardise peace, stability and security in the region and beyond”.