Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, has confirmed that a North Korean missile flew over Japan, the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, DPA, has reported.

"Japan will do its utmost to protect the lives of its people," Abe told reporters.

Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, told a news conference that the missile flew over Cape Erimo on the northern island of Hokkaido, and that it apparently fell into the sea 1,180 kilometres east of the area.

Suga said the North Korean missile posed a serious, grave security threat to Japan, added DPA.