TOKYO Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday Tokyo strongly condemned North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch and demanded that Pyongyang refrain from such actions. Abe, speaking to parliament, also said Japan had lodged a protest with North Korea over the launch, which he described as 'extremely problematic'. 'Japan strongly demands North Korea to exercise self-restraint and will take all necessary measures, such as warning and surveillance activity, to be able to respond to any situations,' Abe said.

TOKYO Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Friday Tokyo strongly condemned North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch and demanded that Pyongyang refrain from such actions.

Abe, speaking to parliament, also said Japan had lodged a protest with North Korea over the launch, which he described as "extremely problematic".

"Japan strongly demands North Korea to exercise self-restraint and will take all necessary measures, such as warning and surveillance activity, to be able to respond to any situations," Abe said.

(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Paul Tait)

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