JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe backed US President Donald Trump’s sabre-rattling towards North Korea yesterday.

In a televised election debate with other party leaders, Mr Abe said North Korea had not delivered on past promises to give up its pursuit of nuclear technology made during “six-party” talks with Japan, China, the US, Russia and South Korea.

“They used the framework of the dialogue to earn time so that they could develop their nuclear technology,” Mr Abe said. “As the result, their nuclear capability has reached this level and we cannot afford being deceived by them again.”