Abe: Japan can 'never tolerate' North Korea's 'provocative' acts

[TOKYO] Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said Friday that Japan would "never tolerate" what he called North Korea's "dangerous provocative action that threatens world peace" following a missile launch over his country.

"We can never tolerate that North Korea trampled on the international community's strong, united resolve toward peace that has been shown in UN resolutions and went ahead again with this outrageous act," Mr Abe told reporters.

Mr Abe added that the international community needed to send a clear message to North Korea over its provocative actions.

North Korea fired a missile on Friday that flew over Japan's northern Hokkaido far out into the Pacific Ocean, South Korean and Japanese officials said, further ratcheting up tensions after Pyongyang's recent test of a powerful nuclear bomb.

The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting Friday on the latest missile launch.

AFP, REUTERS