Japan will maintain close contact with its allies, especially the United States, and prepare itself for a possible ballistic missile launch by North Korea by the middle of the month.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday that his government would take whatever steps needed in cooperation with its allies in the context of North Korea's repeated threats of missile attacks against the United States and its allies in the Asia-Pacific. The North had moved one of its ballistic missiles to the country's east coast possibly for a launch coinciding with the birth anniversary of the country's founder Kim Il-sung.

Abe called for implementation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions on sanctions against the recalcitrant Communist State.

The Japanese government hopes to share and jointly analyze intelligence about the latest situation in North Korea with the United States. Japanese and U.S. foreign and defense officials are to hold a meeting on Tuesday on developments in the Korean peninsula, reports from Tokyo said.

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