The Japanese government in late April conducted its first tabletop exercise for ministries and other organizations based on the scenario of a North Korean missile falling on Japanese territory, government sources said Monday.

The exercise, aimed at ensuring smooth coordination between government offices, took place amid growing public concern over North Korea's repeated test-firing of ballistic missiles, many of which have fallen in the Sea of Japan.

In March, the government conducted its first evacuation drill for residents in a city in Akita Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast to prepare for the possibility of a North Korean missile falling in the area. It plans to conduct similar exercises in June in Yamagata and Yamaguchi prefectures, also on the Sea of Japan coast.