The US Defence Secretary says South Korea has a right to retaliate against any new North Korean attack, but that he is trying to make sure that does not become necessary. Robert Gates made the remarks after meetings with top officials in Japan today, the second stop on this three-country Asian tour. He will travel to Seoul tomorrow. Asked whether the United States will object to South Korean air strikes into the North, Gates said every country has a right to defend itself against an unprovoked attack. But, he said, the focus of his talks this week in China and Japan has been to prevent another provocation from happening. The United States has been urging Japan to play a bigger role in South Korea's defence since North Korea launched a fatal artillery attack on South Korea's Yeonpyeong Island in November. Diplomats from the United States, Japan and South Korea have also been discussing terms under which they will agree to a resumption of six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programmes.