Japan confirms North Korea carried out its fifth and largest nuclear test yet

UPDATE: Sept. 9, 2016, 2:17 p.m. SGT Updated with Japan's statement.

Japan has confirmed that North Korea carried out nuclear tests on Friday morning, which triggered 5.3 magnitude tremors at a test site in North Korea.

South Korea and international monitoring agencies reported Friday an earthquake near North Korea's northeastern nuclear test site, a strong indication that Pyongyang had detonated its fifth atomic test explosion.

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Japan's top government spokesperson, Yoshihide Suga, was quoted by Reuterssaying: "Taking into consideration the irregularity of the tremors, and the information we have gathered, we have come to the conclusion that North Korea did indeed carry out a nuclear test."

He added: "This is of course something we cannot tolerate as a country, and we immediately expressed our strongest denunciation and protest through embassy channels in Beijing."

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the detonation was one of North Korea's "strongest ever", at a yield of 10 kilotons.

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Earlier in the morning, European and U.S. monitoring services also detected similar seismic activity, with the U.S. Geological Survey calling it an "explosion" on its website.

Any test will lead to a strong push for new, tougher sanctions at the United Nations.

North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test earlier this year, part of its push for a nuclear-armed missile that could one day reach the U.S. mainland.

A second nuclear test this year would be a defiant response to Western pressure on Pyongyang to halt its nuclear ambitions. The country has previously conducted tests every three to four years.

Any test will lead to a strong push for new, tougher sanctions at the United Nations and further worsen already abysmal relations between Pyongyang and its neighbors. North Korean nuclear tests worry outside governments because they are seen as moving North Korea's scientists and engineers that much closer to their goal of an arsenal of nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States.

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After several failures, North Korea has since successfully launched long-range rockets.

North Korea is thought to have a handful of rudimentary nuclear bombs and has spent decades trying to perfect a multistage, long-range missile to eventually carry smaller versions of those bombs. After several failures, it put its first satellite into space with a long-range rocket launched in December 2012, and has since launched another such successful launch.

Experts say that ballistic missiles and rockets in satellite launches share similar bodies, engines and other technology. The U.N. calls the North's long-range rocket launches banned tests of ballistic missile technology.

Some analysts say the North hasn't likely achieved the technology needed to manufacture a miniaturized nuclear warhead that could fit on a long-range missile capable of hitting the U.S. But there is a growing debate on just how far the North has advanced in its secretive nuclear and missile programs.

Additional reporting by Mashable.

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