For the second time in two days, US President Donald Trump spoke over phone with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula after the North launched a medium-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan.
"The two leaders confirmed their continuing, close cooperation on efforts to address North Korea's launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile that overflew Japanese territory earlier this week," the White House said.
Trump ruled out talks with North Korea during the second phone call with Abe in two days.
The phone calls came after North Korea increased the crisis with the test launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile over Japanese territory yesterday.
However, Defence Secretary James Mattis told reporters the US was still looking for diplomatic options to resolve the Korean crisis as he welcomed his South Korean counterpart Song Young-Moo at the Pentagon.
"We're never out of diplomatic solutions. We continue to work together and the minister and I share responsibility to provide for the protection of our nation our populations and our interests, which is what we are here to discuss today," Mattis said.
"And look for all the areas we can collaborate - there is already very strong collaboration, we always look for more, we are never complacent," he said.
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