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Jens Stoltenberg is the 13th Secretary General of NATO and also served as Prime Minister of Norway from 2000 to 2001 and from 2005 to 2013.

Speaking ahead of his visit to Japan and South Korea, Mr Stoltenberg told the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper that NATO has the capacity to respond to any threat.

He said: “We recognise that Europe has also entered the North Korean missile range, and NATO member states are already in danger.

“NATO has protected its member countries from the threat of ballistic missiles through deterrence, but more diplomatic effort is needed to find a peaceful solution to the conflict."