NEW YORK (Kyodo) Japan will ask the president of the U.N. Security Council to convene an emergency meeting if it is confirmed that North Korea has launched a missile, Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Yukio Takasu said Tuesday.

"Japan, in the event of the North's missile firing, will ask the council to take an immediate action regardless of how other U.N. members would react, as it is a country that would directly face a missile threat," Takasu told a news conference.

An emergency Security Council meeting would be convened within one or two days of Japan's request, given it is a nonpermanent Security Council member.

Even if it were a satellite launch, as Pyongyang claims, it would violate a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted in 2006, as such a launch relies on the same technology used to develop missiles, the ambassador said.

Japan has exchanged information with UNSC members, including the United States, China and Russia, on North Korea's move to launch a missile, Takasu said, adding it is premature to discuss additional sanctions against the North.

The 2006 resolution bans North Korea from engaging in any ballistic missile activity.