Japan today downplayed South Korea's offer to hold military talks with North Korea, saying the priority should be piling pressure on Pyongyang through sanctions.<br/>'<br/>Japan's foreign ministry spokesman Norio Maruyama told reporters today in New York where Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida was attending a UN meeting on development.'<br/><br/>Maruyama said this is a time to raise pressure in order to conduct a serious dialogue. South Korea's defence ministry proposed a meeting to be held Friday at the border truce village of Panmunjom to ease tensions after Pyongyang tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile.<br/>''<br/>