Japan says to maximize pressure on DPRK following missile launch

TOKYO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday that Japan will maximize pressure on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in coordination with the international community following the latest missile launch.

The DPRK fired a missile around 3:18 a.m. local time on Wednesday (1818 GMT Tuesday), and the missile flew for about 53 minutes and was likely to have fallen into the exclusive economic zone of Japan, said the Japanese government.

The missile reached a record-high altitude of over 4,000 kilometers on a steep angle and appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to the Japanese defense ministry.

Abe told reporters at his office following the missile launch that such "violence" was "intolerable" and Japan has lodged a strong protest against the DPRK.

He added that Japan is to call for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council and that Japan will maximize pressure on the DPRK in coordination with the international community.

Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke over the phone after the missile launch. Enditem