Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he wants to raise the issue of North Korean missile launches at the G7 summit after the hermit kingdom fired a midrange ballistic missile in its latest missile test.

Mr Abe said he wanted a "thorough discussion" of the launches when the G7 summit meets later this month in Italy.

"I would like to have a thorough discussion about this at the G7 summit," Mr Abe told reporters after a meeting of the National Security Council.

North Korea launched a ballistic missile from its west coast towards the Sea of Japan, and it likely landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, Japan's top government spokesman said earlier.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said it did not cause damage to ships or aeroplanes.

The rocket was fired from a location near Pukchang, north of Pyongyang, and flew about 500km (310 miles) eastward, South Korea's Office of Joint chiefs said in a statement.

White House officials travelling in Saudi Arabia with President Donald Trump said the system, last tested in February, has a shorter range than the missiles launched in North Korea's most recent tests.

"We are aware that North Korea launched an MRBM. This system, last tested in February, has a shorter range than the missiles launched in North Korea's three most recent tests," a White House official said.

Japan PM condemns North Korea missile launch

China had no immediate comment while both South Korea and Japan called emergency meetings of top officials.

"South Korea and the United States are closely analysing the launch for further information," South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

"Our military is closely monitoring the North Korean military for any further provocation and maintaining readiness to respond."

In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Show all 16 1 /16 In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean women soldiers take part in a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April AFP/Getty Images In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun A huge military parade in Pyongyang marks the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung, the country's late founder and grandfather of current ruler Kim Jong Un AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waves during a military parade on 15 April 2017 AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean soldiers carry flags and a photo of Kim Il-sung during a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Soldiers march across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun What military experts say appears to be a North Korean KN-08 inter-continental ballistic missile is paraded across Kim Il Sung Square during a military parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Women wearing traditional Korean dress wave flowers and shout slogans as they pass Kim Jong-Un during a parade in Pyongyang on 15 April AFP/Getty Images In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean female soldiers march during a parade for the 'Day of the Sun' festival on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang on 15 April EPA In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Military vehicles carry missiles with characters reading 'Pukkuksong' during a military parade marking the 105th birth anniversary of Kim Il-sung in Pyongyang on 15 April 2017 EPA In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Attendees carry sheets in the colours of North Korea's national flag during a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun A soldier salutes from atop an armoured vehicle during a military parade in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun A North Korean woman cries as she looks towards Kim Jong-un during a parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun University students carry the national flag and two bronze statues of the late leaders Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il during a military parade on 15 April AP In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Missiles are driven past Kim Jong-un and other high ranking officials during a military parade marking the Day of the Sun in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waves from a balcony during a parade for the 'Day of the Sun' festival in Pyongyang on 15 April 2017 EPA In pictures: North Korea marks the Day of the Sun Missiles are driven past Kim Jong-un and other high ranking officials during a military parade marking the Day of the Sun in Pyongyang on 15 April Reuters

On Saturday, North Korea said it had developed the capability to strike the US mainland, although Western missile experts say the claim is exaggerated.

"The US mainland and the Pacific operational theatre are within the strike range of the DPRK and the DPRK has all kinds of powerful means for annihilating retaliatory strike," North Korea's state KCNA news agency said.