North Korea launched two ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan early Sunday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan has lodged a stern protest with Pyongyang.
Japanese officials said North Korea fired the missiles from a facility near Kaesong in the country's southwest, Japan's (NHK World) reported.
They likely fell into the Sea of Japan after traveling about 500 kilometers.
This is the fifth time this year North Korea has launched missiles.
Government officials briefed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the launches. The officials include Shotaro Yachi, who heads the National Security Council secretariat.
Abe said he told officials to take every possible measure to deal with the matter. He said the launches violate UN Security Council resolutions.
Senior Defense Ministry officials held an emergency meeting to analyze information.
Abe said the latest launches will not affect the government's efforts to resolve the issue of Japanese abducted by the North and other missing Japanese.