09 June 2016

News Story: Japan expresses concern over possible DPRK plutonium production, Abe visits spy satellite HQ

TOKYO, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government on Wednesday said that it was liaising with the United States and South Korea over concerns that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) may have resumed its production of plutonium for possible use in nuclear warheads.

Japan's top government spokesperson, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, told a press conference that Japan was "gravely concerned" at the reports of plutonium production and views the potential development of such with consternation.

Suga stated that the Japanese government is "working in cooperation with the United States and South Korea on information gathering and surveillance."

Suga's remarks follow a report carried by Reuters as quoting a senior U.S. State department official as saying that a processing plant in Pyongyang is operational again, which suggested the renewed production of possible weapons-grade plutonium by the DPRK.

Read the full story at Xinhua