North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's pursuit of nuclear weapons must be met with diplomacy, U.S. respondents said in a recent survey. Photo by KCNA/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 28 (UPI) -- A survey of Japanese citizens and Americans across the two countries show over 40 percent of respondents oppose U.S. military action on North Korea.

The poll taken between late October and early November by Genron NPO, a Japanese think tank, and the University of Maryland collected responses from 1,000 Japanese and 2,000 Americans, Kyodo News reported Thursday.


Those surveyed in Japan expressed greater objection to a potential U.S. military strike, with 48.3 percent of respondents saying they are opposed, versus 44.2 percent of surveyed Americans, according to the report.

The survey also showed 32.5 percent of U.S.-based respondents were in favor of U.S. military action, while that number was lower in Japan, or 20.6 percent.

Multilateral diplomatic efforts like the scuttled six-party talks were cited as the best preventative measure against North Korea's nuclear development, with 35.3 percent of U.S. respondents selecting this option.

Another 21.6 percent of U.S. citizens said China must take a tougher stance toward its belligerent neighbor.

U.S. and Japanese respondents also have different perspectives on the North Korea issue, with 32.6 percent of Americans saying it is "difficult" to solve the nuclear problem while 67.4 percent of Japanese said it is a challenge.

About 40 percent of U.S. respondents said they are in favor of nuclear armament for Japan and South Korea.

The report comes at a time when the United States has taken steps to mitigate miscommunication with regional players.

The U.S. military in South Korea may have taken steps to install a direct hotline with counterparts in China, and specifically with China's Northern Theater Command, based in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, the Asahi Shimbun reported this week.

Military intelligence will also be shared, according to the report.