TOKYO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) — Japan's Meteorological Agency(JMA) on Friday detected an artificial earthquake centered in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which it believes may have been a nuclear test.

In a hastily convened press conference, Japan's top government spokesperson Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that the government here is currently gathering more information about the seismic incident, which it also believes may have been a possible nuclear test by the DPRK due to the site of the earthquake and the shallow depth detected.

Suga said that Japan will cooperate with relevant countries to gather and analyze more information regarding the DPRK's possible testing of a nuclear device.

The DPRK is banned by UN sanctions from any tests of nuclear or missile technology.

The DPRK conducted a fourth nuclear test in January this year.