Japan says North Korea missile test 'outrageous act'

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today condemned a North Korean test missile that landed 250 kilometres (155 miles) off Japan's coast as an "outrageous act" which threatened his country.

"It's a serious threat against our country's security," Abe told reporters. "This is an outrageous act that cannot be tolerated."

Defence minister General Nakatani said the missile landed in the Sea of Japan off the north coast in the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the first time a North Korean missile has landed in Japan's EEZ since 1998.

It was the first ever North Korean missile to land in Japan's EEZ in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) facing the Korean peninsula. The North Korean missile in 1998 landed in Japan's EEZ in the Pacific Ocean after having flown over the country's territory.

Chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga, the government's top spokesman, also harshly criticised the launch.

"There was no early warning," he told reporters.

"From the perspective of the safety of aircraft and ships, it is an extremely problematic, dangerous act," he added.

"We immediately launched a strong protest against North Korea and condemned (the launch) in the strongest language"through diplomatic channels," he said.