March 8

Eleven countries, including Japan and the United States, have released a statement condemning North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch.

The move came after members of the UN Security Council again failed to agree on a concerted response at a closed-door session on Monday.

North Korea launched the missile toward the Sea of Japan last Saturday. It said the following day that it had staged a test to develop a reconnaissance satellite.

The 11 countries, including seven Security Council members, called the test-firing a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

Their statement urges Pyongyang "to choose the path of dialogue over instability and to prioritize the basic needs and human rights of its own people" over its ballistic missile programs.

The statement also calls on all Security Council members "to speak with one voice in condemning these dangerous and unlawful acts."

The UN Security Council has held five emergency sessions in response to the North's missile launches this year.

But none of the meetings ended with an agreement, with China and Russia opposing stronger sanctions proposed by the US and others.

NHK