Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday Tokyo strongly condemned North Korea's latest ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan.

    He spoke at the Upper House Budget Committee on Friday morning that, the missile launch is a problematic act for the safety of aircraft and vessels, according to the NHK world.

    Abe said the launch violates UN Security Council resolutions as well as the 2002 Pyongyang Declaration by Japan and North Korea. He said it also goes against the spirit of the joint statement issued by the six-party talks on the North's nuclear program.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has instructed relevant ministers to coordinate closely with the United States and South Korea to deal with the latest missile launch by North Korea.

    Abe instructed the ministers to do everything necessary to gather and analyze information, secure the safety of flights and voyages, and offer information to the public swiftly and appropriately.

    The ministers also confirmed that the government will lodge a strong protest against North Korea. They said that the latest missile launch, which follows 2 recent others, clearly violates United Nations Security Council resolutions. 

Source: QNA