Japan Says No Proof of N.Korea Nuclear Warheads

Japan's government said on Friday it had no firm evidence to confirm a newspaper report that North Korea has several nuclear warheads for ballistic missiles capable of hitting Japan.

Quoting unspecified Japanese and U.S. sources, Friday's Sankei Shimbun newspaper said Washington had informed Tokyo in about March that North Korea possessed several small warheads that could be carried by such missiles.

Each warhead weighed about 1,650 to 2,200 pounds, it said.

"We don't have firm evidence and I believe that the United States probably does not either," top government spokesman Yasuo Fukuda told reporters. "Considering from various angles, we can't assert clearly (that North Korea has such warheads)."