U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to cement their bilateral alliance to curb North Korea's threat and step up pressure against the communist state during a phone conversation on Wednesday.

Japan's Kyodo News and NHK said that the two leaders also reaffirmed that China's additional role is vital to this end.

The phone call took place for about 20 minutes from 6:30 a.m., hours after the North fired a long-range ballistic missile which landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Abe reportedly said he believes the projectile possesses a maximum range of an intercontinental ballistic missile and stressed missile launches can never be tolerated.
 
He said he highly regards the U.S.’ move of relisting North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.