US, Japan urge China to pressurise N Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions

The move came amid heightened military tensions with Pyongyang's repeated weapons tests

Ministers from Japan and the United States on Tuesday reiterated their opposition to North Korea's weapons programme and urged China to pressurise the Kim Jong-un-led regime to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon met the Japanese National Security Advisor, Shotaro Yachi, after which he said that North Korea's nuclear and missile tests are a global threat, reports Efe news.

Shannon said that both countries have agreed to urge China and the international community to convince Pyongyang that its nuclear programmes "do not create any hopeful path to the future".

"We underscored the important role that China can play in this process, and also the important role that the UN Security Council and other organisations within the international community can play in bringing this message home to North Korea loud and clear," Shannon added.

After his two-day visit to Tokyo, where he also met Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama, Shannon is scheduled to travel to Seoul to discuss the US-South Korea alliance.

The visit comes amid heightened military tensions in the region, with Pyongyang's repeated weapons tests, the latest that took place last week.