Japan wants Iran to address international nuclear concerns

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Tuesday urged Iran to address international concerns about its nuclear programs with a "sincere response," a news report said Tuesday. "It is important that Iran makes a sincere response over its suspected nuclear development. Japan will cooperate (with the international community) to have it deal properly with the nuclear suspicions," Kyodo News agency quoted the premier as saying at his official residence.

The Cabinet Office could not immediately confirm the report.

The report came after the United States, Britain, China, France and Russia on Tuesday agreed to recommend that the International Atomic Energy Agency report Iran to the U.N. Security Council.

They also decided the Security Council should wait until March to take up Iran's nuclear file after a formal report on Tehran's activities from the U.N. agency, which meets Thursday in Vienna.

Iran insists it has the right as a signatory to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty to build nuclear power stations and produce their fuel by enriching its own uranium.

But the United States and Europe suspect Iran might enrich uranium for nonpeaceful purposes because the country has concealed significant aspects of its nuclear program in the past, reports the AP.

D.M.