Washington (CNN) With tensions rising between the US and North Korea, the Pentagon on Sunday called for the isolated communist nation to avoid destabilizing the situation further. "We call on (North Korea) to refrain from provocative, destabilizing actions and rhetoric, and to make the strategic choice to fulfill its international obligations and commitments and return to serious talks," Pentagon spokesman Gary Ross said. "North Korea's unlawful weapons programs represent a clear, grave threat to US national security." The statement came just hours after a North Korean newspaper said Pyongyang was ready to take out a US aircraft carrier conducting drills with Japanese destroyers near the Philippines.The US responded to a threat in North Korean mediaOne US aircraft carrier is drilling with the JapaneseTrump speaks to leaders of China and Japan 
 Question:The country has said it will respond in kind to any US attack, and it has warned it would strike the US mainland and US carriers and forces in the region, specifically US bases in South Korea and _.
Japanese