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-Pacific ties take center stage in Washington this week, as Japan’s prime minister visits the White House on Friday. North Korea’s latest nuclear test will be a prime topic of discussion between President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. "The actions taken by North Korea cannot be permitted or condoned by the international community, and I believe it is essential that Japan and the United States work together to adopt a new U.N. Security Council resolution that includes additional sanction measures," Abe said. Last week, the Security Council condemned the nuclear test and began work on what was termed "appropriate measures" in response. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon conferred with Secretary of State John Kerry, who said North Korea must face consequences. "This week's test was an enormously provocative act that warrants a strong, a swift, and a credible response from the global community," Kerry said. While sharing concern over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, the United States and Japan are also struggling to surmount persistent economic weakness. Both nations recorded negative economic growth at the end of last year, and are hoping for a turnaround in the year ahead. A looming threat for the U.S. economy: across-the-board federal spending cuts slated to go into effect March 1. Prospects for accord on an alternative way to reduce the deficit are dimming. Late last week, lawmakers left Washington for a week-long recess still deadlocked on a way forward. | 
