Survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings and relatives of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea expressed anger Wednesday at the news that Pyongyang had detonated a fourth nuclear device.

"I can never forgive it as a hibakusha if North Korea conducted a nuclear test, in a world where the trend is toward the total abolition of nuclear weapons," said Terumi Tanaka, secretary general of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations.

Others said they are looking to the government for an appropriate response.