U.N. Security Council to Hold Meeting

Japanese Defense Minister Fukushiro Nukaga arrives at Prime Minister's official residence to attends the emergency security meeting in Tokyo, Wednesday, July 5, 2006. Japan's foreign minister and the U.S. secretary of state agreed that the U.N. Security Council should take up the matter of North Korea's missile launch, a news report said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye) (Itsuo Inouye - AP)

TOKYO -- The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency session Wednesday morning to discuss the North Korea missile tests at the request of the Japanese government, officials said.

Outraged over the predawn test-firing of six missiles by its isolated, communist neighbor, Japan has urged the U.N. Security Council to take up the matter and has also warned its own government might impose economic sanctions.

The Security Council is expected to meet at 10 a.m. EDT to take up the matter, according to French U.N. Ambassador to the U.N. Jean-Marc de La Sabliere. Japan was expected to present a resolution protesting North Korea's firing of its missiles.

Earlier Wednesday, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso called for UN action and warned there was a "very high possibility" the Japanese government would level economic sanctions against North Korea.

Also and U.S. Secretary Condoleezza Rice agreed later in a telephone call that their countries would cooperate on addressing the issue through the United Nations, Kyodo News agency reported.