he zeroed in on comments made by former economy, trade and industry minister yoshio hachiro. he called the area around the fukushima daiichi plant a town of death. he joked with reporters when he visited and said the dirt he got on his sleeve could have been radioactive. >> translator: how will you take responsibility for having picked hachiro as a key cabinet minister for the country's reconstruction. >> noda expressed regret. he pledged his cabinet would work tirelessly to control fukushima daiichi and provide relief for evacuees. >>> russia and north korea have been working to strengthen their economic ties. it appears they are also cooperating on other fronts. the russian interfax news agency says the country will hold joint military exercises next year. they reportedly made an agreement last month when the commander of the eastern military district konstantin sidenko held talks with korean peoples army officials. the exercises will focus on search and rescue operations that would deal with maritime accidents and large disasters. neither country has revealed the size or lo