Condemning the latest missile launch, the Japanese prime minister said it "violated UN Security Council resolutions."

"We strongly condemned it and lodged a strong protest" with North Korea, Kishida told reporters in Tokyo.

The US military's Indo-Pacific Command condemned the launch and urged North Korea to "refrain from further destabilizing acts."

The command said in a statement it will continue to monitor the situation and that US commitment to the defense of allies Japan and South Korea "remains ironclad."