US admiral for military to back talks to deal with Kim
NORTH KOREA THREAT Indian warships part of recent USJapan joint exercise
TOKYO: Diplomacy backed by military power is needed to deal with North Korea’s missile and nuclear development, the head of the US military’s Pacific Command said on Thursday.
North Korea has launched dozens of missiles under the leadership of Kim Jon gU na sit accelerates a weapons programme designed to give it the ability to target the US with a powerful, nuclear-tipped missile. In recent months, it has fired two missiles over Japan.
“Clearly, while diplomacy must be the main effort with North Korea, it has to be diplomacy backed by credible military power,” Admiral Harry Harris said in Japan at the beginning of a meeting with defence minister Itsunori Onodera.
US President Donald Trump visited China this month seeking its help to re in in North Korea and a senior Chinese diplomat will visit the North from Friday.
Onodera told Harris he believed a recent joint military exercise involving Japanese forces and three US aircraft carriers had sent a“very strong message” to North Korea.
Harris separately told Prime MinisterS hinzoA be that the joint exercise in the Sea of Japan during Trump’s visit to the region was“an example of how our mil itaries work together ”. Two Indian warships also took part.
Abe told Harris Japan wanted to closely coordinate with the US to boost deterrence and response capability as the security environment in the region becomes more challenging.