A Japanese newspaper said Washington has accepted Tokyo’s request for bilateral consultation in advance should the U.S. decide to take military action against North Korea.
 
The Nihon Keizai Shimbun made the report on Wednesday citing a Tokyo official who said Washington recently delivered its stance on the North Korean nuclear threats to Japan. 
 
The official said the Japanese government asked Washington to talk with it before taking any military action against the North and the U.S. government accepted the request.
 
Japan’s Kyodo News said earlier, quoting diplomatic sources in both countries, that the U.S. told Japan that it is possible they will strike the North depending on China’s attitude toward the regime. Kyodo said the remark was made during a bilateral high-ranking government meeting ahead of the U.S.-China Summit last week. 
 
The news follows a report that the U.S. has notified Australia that it is ready to intercept North Korean missiles and an Australia-U.S. joint facility in Australia’s Northern Territory is said to be on a standby.

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