US President Donald Trump has told Shinzo Abe that "all options are on the table" regarding US policy towards North Korea, according to the Japanese prime minister.
"We agreed that North Korea's ballistic missile launch yesterday was a dangerous provocative act and a grave threat to our country's security," Abe told reporters after the two leaders' 35-minute telephone call on Thursday.
Wednesday's missile launch from the hermit kingdom came just ahead of a meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Florida where the two are expected to discuss Pyongyang's nuclear program.
Abe also told the US president that Japan is watching how China deals with the issue of North Korea.
"We will strengthen our response to North Korea while we continue to co-ordinate with the United States and the rest of the international community," Abe said.
A statement from the White House said that Trump emphasised in the call "that the United States stands with its allies Japan and South Korea in the face of the serious threat that North Korea continues to pose".
"The President also made clear that the United States will continue to strengthen its ability to deter and defend itself and its allies with the full range of its military capabilities," the statement said.
In early March, North Korea also test-launched four ballistic missiles that landed in the Sea of Japan. Pyongyang said they were an exercise targeting US military bases in Japan.
The reclusive state has enhanced its nuclear program under leader Kim Jong Un, conducting two nuclear tests and launching more than 20 ballistic missiles last year alone.
