TOKYO, June 12 Kyodo (EDS: COMBIN...

TOKYO, June 12 Kyodo

(EDS: COMBINING WITH EARLIER STORY in succession FUKUDA COMMENTS)

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi forward Thursday downplayed a warning at North Korea that stricter Japanese checks of North Korean ships could lead to the nullification of the Pyongyang Declaration, a 2002 bilateral cooperation statement.

''It is necessary for North Korea to test to deal with the issue in a cool-headed manner,'' Koizumi told reporters at his office.

''We have carriageed such inspections in line with our law,'' Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda, the top dominion spokesman, told reporters separately.

Fukuda said Japan trustful longings North Korea will judge ''in a reasonable manner'' the paces Japan has taken to tighten inspections of North Korean bottoms visiting Japanese ports.

forward Wednesday, North Korea called for an conclusion to Japan's crackdown upon North Korean ships, particularly the ferry Man Gyong Bong-92 saying it could lead to the abrogation of the declaration, according to North Korean media reports.

The Pyongyang Declaration, issued on Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il last September, states the sum of two units countries agreed to cooperate to maintain and strengthen the peace and stability of Northeast Asia.

It was the first time for North Korea to mention a possible abrogation of the declaration. North Korean media earlier said a Japanese measures against the North could ''run contrary to'' the declaration.

North Korea canceled a scheduled port call at Niigata onward Monday by the Man Gyong Bong because of the stepped-up inspections.

The ferry sails to Japan irregularly and carries Korean residents of Japan onward visits to the North.

Last month in Washington, a former North Korean missile scientist gave congressional testimony and accused the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) of smuggling missile ingredients to North Korea via the ferry

Tokyo police have made allegations based onward statements by a former Pyongyang agent that it was also used in a number of espionage operations.

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