Japan calls for increasing pressure on N.Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday said his country will maximise pressure on North Korea in coordination with the international community following Pyongyang's latest missile launch.

N. Korea fired a missile around 3.18 a.m. on Wednesday and the missile flew for about 53 minutes. It may have fallen into the exclusive economic zone of Japan, said the Japanese government.

It reached a record-high altitude of over 4,000 km on a steep angle and appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to the Japanese Defence Ministry.

Abe told reporters at his office following the missile launch that such "violence" was "intolerable". Japan has lodged a strong protest against North Korea, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added that Japan has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council and Tokyo will maximise pressure on Pyongyang in coordination with others.

Abe and US President Donald Trump spoke over the phone after the missile launch.

--IANS

in/