Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump agreed on Tuesday that North Korea's latest test-firing of ballistic missiles was a "clear challenge" to the international community, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported.

A day after North Korea fired ballistic missiles that landed in waters as close as 300-350 kilometers off Japan's northwest coast, Abe said he had talks with Trump over the phone and also agreed that North Korea's "threat has entered a new phase."

Ahead of Abe's appearance in front of the press in the morning, North Korea's official media reported that leader Kim Jong Un had praised his country's army for "successfully" launching four ballistic missiles in a drill simulating a strike on U.S. military bases in Japan.

Source: MENA