The United States and Japan will discuss North Korea's latest provocation of conducting its third nuclear test during the upcoming summit talks, the White House said Thursday.

The U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet on Friday in Washington.

In a conference call with reporters, Daniel Russel, the senior advisor for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, said the leaders of the two countries are expected to exchange opinions on the North Korean issues, including its repeated provocative acts such as its long-range rocket launch and third nuclear test.

North Korea conducted its third nuclear test on Feb. 12, some two months after it successfully launched a long-range rocket.

Russel, however, said Obama is unlikely to make specific announcements or declarations.

The summit will also be the venue for Obama to reaffirm the strong commitment to the alliance with Japan and regional stability, he added.

Also on the table will be the assessment of overall circumstances of the Korean Peninsula and the Asia-Pacific region, according to Russel, who called the issues "crucial" for the global economy as well as for the future of the U.S.

Efforts to guarantee strong safety and security of South Korea and Japan should be the first step in responding to the North's atomic test, Russel stressed, adding countermeasures against the North will include close cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo, consistent support and investment into the missile defense system, and unilateral actions of the international community and the United Nations Security Council to hold Pyongyang accountable for its wrongdoings, he added. (Yonhap News)