Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Friday instructed all relevant officials in his office and applicable ministries to gather more information about the possibility the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) tested a nuclear device earlier this morning.

The prime minister's instructions follow Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) detecting an artificial earthquake centered in the DPRK close to a previous test site, which it believes may have been a nuclear test.

The weather agency said the depth of the artificial earthquake was at 0 kilometers, which is consistent with previous nuclear tests conducted by the DPRK.

In a hastily convened press conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that the government here is currently gathering more information about the possible nuclear test by the DPRK.

"Given similar cases in the past, we think an earthquake detected in the morning may have been a nuclear test by North Korea," Japan's top government spokesman said, adding that Japan will cooperate with relevant countries to gather and analyze more information regarding the DPRK's possible testing of a nuclear device.

The DPRK conducted a fourth nuclear test in January this year.

Source : XINHUA