"I have to stress that no one has said Japan should attack pre-emptively," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe, the government's top spokesman, insisting neighboring countries had misunderstood its position.

South Korea on Tuesday accused Japan of planning a possible pre-emptive strike on the communist North after government ministers including Abe suggested there should be debate about whether to develop such a capability.

"I made the remark on the premise of a scenario where Japan is under attack. If they (South Korea) listen to what I said, then there shouldn't be any misunderstanding," Abe said.

Pacifist Japan's forces do not currently have the capacity to attack foreign bases, the country's defense agency says.

Ratcheting up the rhetoric, The Rodong Sinmun, considered to be the mouthpiece of North Korea's ruling Workers Party, warned Japan in an editorial that invasion would lead to its "self-destruction".

"Japan's militarist forces have set our nation as their first target to be re-invaded. Japan must realize that a re-invasion would soon lead to its self-destruction," it said, as monitored by South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

North Korea's missile tests last week have prompted intensified debate in Japan about whether to deviate from the post-World War II constitution and to develop a full-fledged military.

US Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer also expressed concerns about South Korea's protests to the Japanese government, saying they could divert attention from the real problem.

"I think we have to be very careful at this point of the time that we don't lose our focus on what the issue is. The issue is nuclear weapons and missile launches in North Korea," he told reporters.

Japan has taken the hardest line against North Korea since Pyongyang test-fired seven missiles in its direction on July 5, including one long-range Taepodong-2, which is said in theory to be capable of hitting US soil.

Tokyo on Wednesday reiterated its resolve to secure a binding UN resolution on North Korea, even if Pyongyang agrees to return to multilateral talks on its nuclear programme.

"It is only natural that North Korea returns to the six-way talks. That in itself would not mean that our proposal would not be adopted," said Abe.

North Korea agreed in September to end its nuclear program in exchange for security guarantees and aid but walked out of talks two months later over US sanctions on a Macau bank accused of money-laundering on Pyongyang's behalf.

Japan also reacted cautiously to a suggestion from France that the UN Security Council first adopt a non-binding presidential statement before tackling the Japanese draft text that would impose sanctions on North Korea.

"There is no change to our stance to push for the passage of the resolution," Abe said.

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