"We must seek a severe response in the international community," Abe told reporters after the United States confirmed that North Korea had test-fired several short-range missiles Wednesday into the Sea of Japan (East Sea).

Abe said the tests violated a UN resolution calling for an end to ballistic missile programmes, but he said they did not pose a direct threat to Japan.

"North Korea must respond to the concerns of the international community. It should make more effort to improve people's lives rather than to fire missiles," he said.

The latest tests came as UN inspectors prepared to visit a reactor at the heart of North Korea's nuclear programme in their first on-site inspection there in nearly five years.

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