US says North Korean missile tests do not violate agreement, Japan disagrees

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed their differences over the seriousness of North Korea's series of short-range missile launches on Sunday while maintaining that they would remain in sync on the issue.

Trump, who prizes his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said the launches did not violate an agreement and were in line with what others were doing. 

Asked if he was concerned about North Korea’s missile launches, Trump said: "I’m not happy about it, but again, he’s not in violation of an agreement."

Abe said the launches breached UN resolutions.

Launches of short-range ballistic missiles on Saturday were the seventh by North Korea since Trump and Kim met at the border between the two Koreas in June. 

The launches have complicated attempts to restart talks between US and North Korean negotiators over the future of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.