Tokyo’s Yasutoshi Nishimura, the deputy chief cabinet secretary, detailed the phone call between Donald Trump and prime minister Shinzo Abe that agreed to boost their response to the hermit kingdom’s missile programme and urged China to do more against despot leader Kim Jong-un.
He said both leaders “agreed to strengthen our deterrence capability against the North Korean threat” and “agreed that China needs to play an increased role” in tackling the rogue nation.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga revealed that military options against the hermit kingdom were not discussed but stated that Japan will work closely with the US and South Korea in response to the launch.
North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at around 3am local time (6pm GMT), sparking a furious response from its southern neighbour.
South Korea fired its own missile in retaliation within minutes of the rogue nation’s ICBM launch.
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The North Korean missile was fired eastwards and landed about 210km west of Japan’s Kyurokujima island, Tokyo said.
Japanese media reports the missile was in the air for 50 minutes – indicating a very high altitude flight path.
It travelled east for around 620 miles and to an altitude of 2,500 miles before crashing into the Sea of Japan.
US intelligence officials revealed that the engine used was not significantly more powerful than the Hwasong 14 the hermit kingdom tested back in July.
However unlike previous tests, the missile did not fly over Japan.
US leader Donald Trump was briefed on the missile while it was still in the air.
Mr Trump said: “It is a situation we will handle.”
He said the launch did not change his administration’s approach to North Korea, which has included new curbs to hurt trade between China and North Korea, which it sees as important to deterring Pyongyang from its ambition to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the United States.
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said the ICBM went “higher frankly than any previous shot they’ve taken”.
The United States and Japan have asked for a United Nations Security Council meeting on Wednesday over the test, diplomats said.
Last night a South Korean military official said: “We confirm that we have detected a North Korean ballistic missile launch. The missile is still travelling towards the direction to the East Sea, as we are monitoring right now.
“North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile early this morning from Pyongsong, South Pyongan to the east direction. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff is analysing more details of the missile with the US side.”
Canadian officials announced last night that a planned meeting of foreign officials to discuss the provocative actions from the hermit kingdom will not take place before the Christmas break in late December.
Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland stated that Canada would host the meeting that would see at least 12 foreign ministers take part.