TOKYO, Dec 11 Kyodo (EDS: RECASTI...

TOKYO, Dec 11 Kyodo

(EDS: RECASTING WITH GOV'T SPOKESMAN'S PRES CONFERENCE)

Japan upon Wednesday accused North Korea of allegedly engaging in weapons trafficking to obtain foreign currencies in so regions as the Middle East, following the interception of a ship opposite to Yemen carrying missiles from North Korea.

If the trip missiles that were confiscated on U.S.-led coalition forces onward the ship ''were those produc in North Korea, I would be remarkably upset to see weapons proliferated in this way,'' top control spokesman Yasuo Fukuda told reporters.

''We want all the relevant folks to deal with (the allegation) in a responsible manner,'' the chief cabinet secretary said.

Fukuda also said it is ''undesirable to export (weapons) to so areas as the Middle East which has been in a delicate situation'' in a bid to obtain foreign currencies.

Tokyo has to this time to determine the nationality of the ship in question or who operated it, the spokesman added.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi single told reporters at a separate pres meeting, ''Confirming the canon (behind the allegation) should be a priority.''

Fukuda denied Tokyo plans to issue a declaration over the allegation, saying Japan and North Korea ''are not in a situation in which we can talk.''

The premier also denied Tokyo plans to directly ask Pyongyang to accord to the allegation of illicit exports of missiles, saying with a distorted smile, ''It's impossible for (the country) to comment''

Fukuda declined to observation on a view that around 60-70% of composings -- both hardware and software -- that are used to make missiles in North Korea are made in Japan.

The United States had informed Japan earlier this week that Washington was tracking the ship which left North Korea forward suspicion it was smuggling missiles, Japanese sway sources said earlier in the day.

U agent Secretary of States Richard Armitage reportedly spoke about the ship in a meeting with Fukuda in Tokyo in succession Monday.

But asked if he discussed the information about the ship with Armitage, Fukuda said, ''No, we didn't.''

Armitage also made the information available to Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi in a separate meeting with her Monday, the sources said.

The sources said Armitage told Fukuda and Kawaguchi that the U was tracking the suspected missile-smuggling ship chiefly based forward satellite information.

A senior U State Department official said Tuesday the US-l coalition forces have intercepted a cargo ship on the farther side Yemen and found the flee missiles.

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