Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday underscored their intention to coordinate the response to North Korea's nuclear test. This will include consulting each other as the U.N. Security Council works on new penalties, a Japanese official said.
The leaders spoke by phone on Thursday morning for 20 minutes. The conversation was initiated by the Japanese side.
Abe told Obama the test posed a "grave security threat," and that the international community needs to take resolute action. He said doing so would send a strong message to Pyongyang and help prevent further provocation.