TOKYO: The Japanese government is “concerned” over reports that North Korea successfully tested a long-range cruise missile, Chief Cabinet Secretary KATO Katsunobu said on Monday.

He added that Japan will continue to work closely with the United States and South Korea to monitor the situation.

The missiles flew 1,500 km (930 miles) before hitting their targets and falling into the country’s territorial waters during the tests on Saturday and Sunday, North Korean state media said.

This was the first missile launch by North Korea since March.

The weekend missile tests were watched by Pak Jong Chon, who recently became a member of the presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and secretary of the committee. North Korea’s top leader, Kim Jong Un, was absent.

The missiles met all design demands, including those related to the thrust of the new engine, the missile flight controllability and the accuracy of hitting targets, the KCNA said.

The missile tests also proved the effectiveness and the practicality of the weapons system, the state media added.

North Korea showed its strong opposition to joint military drills by the United States and South Korea in August and promoted Pak, who had been involved in missile development, to the new posts in September.

On Thursday, Pyongyang held a massive military parade.

The missile tests preceded a working-level meeting on North Korea’s nuclear issues among Japan, the United States and South Korea to be held in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Reuters/ JIJI Press