N.Korea fires missiles; Japan, U.S. downplay impact
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North Korea fired several short-range missiles on Friday, but the United States and its Asian allies said the launches were part of normal military drills and would not affect talks on Pyongyang's nuclear arms program.
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of striking most of Asia and parts of the United States, a Japanese newspaper says. Rodong missiles are capable of reaching any part of Japan, the paper said.
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North Korea two fired short-range missiles into its coastal waters Thursday, apparently as part of regular military drills, South Korean military officials said amid a stalemate in international talks on the communist country's nuclear weapons.
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North Korea's test firing of a volley   of missiles in July has disappointed its traditional ally   China, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said   in Beijing on Tuesday.
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HEILIGENDAMM, Germany  - North Korea fired cruise missiles when it test-fired short-range missiles off its west coast on Thursday, a senior White House official said on Thursday.
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The possibility of North Korea launching a ballistic missile has diminished as activities at missile bases in the Stalinist state were returning to normal, a Japanese press report says.
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The United States and Japan urged North Korea not to proceed with reported plans to test-fire a long-range missile that could reach the U.S. mainland, saying Saturday that a launch would be dangerous and provocative. But North Korean officials later denied such preparations, the Kyodo News agency reported, citing a South Korean official it did not identify.
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TOKYO - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday that North Korea is unlikely to test-fire another ballistic missile. &quot;I think the possibility of launching one is low,&quot; Koizumi told reporters.
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North Korea test launched a missile early Wednesday morning that landed in the Sea of Japan, Japanese media reported.
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BEIJING : Japanese negotiators expressed &quot;serious concern&quot; about North Korea&#39;s missile program in talks that went into a second day in Beijing, a Japanese diplomat said.
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The United States and Japan have detected signs that North Korea is preparing to launch a ballistic missile capable of reaching almost anywhere in Japan, Japanese government sources said on Thursday.
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North Korea's recent tests of short-range missiles were successful launches of an advanced weapon that can be fired at little notice to strike targets in South Korea, the commander of U.S. Forces in South Korea said on Monday.
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The United States and Japan have detected  signs that North Korea is preparing to launch a ballistic  missile that could hit almost all of Japan, a Japanese  newspaper said on Thursday.
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Japanese and US reconnaissance information indicates that North Korea might be preparing to test-fire either a Nodong or Taepodong ballistic missile, Japanese government sources said Thursday.
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While the U.S. and others focus on North Korea's nuclear weapons, Japan is worried that the issue of North Korea's abduction of its citizens is falling by the wayside
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Japan will seek an explanation at weekend talks with North Korea on activity indicating Pyongyang may be preparing a missile test, although Tokyo does not think a launch is imminent, Japan&#39;s top government spokesman said.
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North Korea appeared close Sunday to test-firing a long-range missile capable of reaching the United States, prompting the White House to warn of an appropriate response and Japan to threaten a &quot;fierce&quot; protest to the United Nations.