Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said this evening that Tokyo was examining reports that North Korea had fired a missile into the Sea of Japan.
Kawaguchi told reporters that the government was "trying to confirm" reports of the missile firing.
Jiji Press news agency quoted a Japanese defence agency source as saying North Korea fired two missiles at different times Monday but one of them failed.
Both missiles are believed to be old Chinese models, the source was quoted as saying.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda echoed Kawaguchi's remarks and told a news conference: "We are collecting and analysing information."
"At least we do not have information that a ballistic missile was launched," he said.
The missile was fired yesterday into international waters in the Sea of Japan, a South Korean defence ministry official said.
Japanese media said the missile was a surface-to-vessel short-range Silkworm, which has a maximum range of 100 kilometres.
South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper said that a ground-to-ship missile launched by North Korea fell into the sea 60 kilometers off the east coast of North Korea's South Hamgyong province.
North Korea agreed to a moratorium on missile testing after it caused international alarm in 1998 when it test-fired a Taepodong ballistic missile that flew over northeastern Japan into the Pacific Ocean.
News of the missile firing emerged as senior world figures, including US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, gathered in Seoul for the inauguration Tuesday of South Korea's new President Roh Moo-Hyun.
AFP