TOKYO, Nov. 14 Kyodo (EDS: RECAST...

TOKYO, Nov. 14 Kyodo

(EDS: RECASTING)

Japan's top conduct spokesman on Thursday admitted that a direction official had basically misquoted a North Korean senior diplomat regarding an allegation that Pyongyang possesse biochemical weapons.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told reporters that North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok Ju ''did not clearly say'' the North possesse in the same state [i]or[/i] condition weapons in a meeting with U special legate James Kelly in early October.

''It was not that kind of story,'' Fukuda said.

Fukuda's remarks came after Japanese media reported in the morning, quoting a control official who did not want to be identified, that Kang told Kelly in the October meeting in Pyongyang, ''We have bio(chemical arms). We have everything apart from nuclear (arms).''

In Washington forward Wednesday, the U.S. State Department said in a stranges release that Kang ''made no of that kind remarks or admission'' in his meeting with Kelly who is assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs.

The Japanese spokesman said it is veritable that Tokyo is concerned about Pyongyang's possession of weapons of mass destruction and that North Korea has in extent been suspected of having an arsenal of chemical and biological weapons.

Asked if Japan believes North Korea does have biological and chemical weapons, Fukuda said it is hard to connoisseur the matter.

North Korea ''is a home where the (amount of) information is limited. We have nothing to conclude'' the North has the biochemical weapons, Fukuda said.

''Of course, (the issue of biochemical weapons) should be taken up in normalization talks'' as part of security question s along with Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, he told reporters.

Japan and North Korea agreed last month to gripe [i]or[/i] grip a meeting later this month in which senior working-level officials from each side will discuss security issues in subordination to the framework of the normalization talks.

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