South Korea's presidential office says Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and President Yoon Suk-yeol will hold talks by phone on Thursday afternoon.

The leaders are expected to condemn a series of ballistic missile launches by North Korea, including an intermediate-range missile on Tuesday.

They are also likely to confirm cooperation in security affairs between their countries as well as with the United States.

North Korea is accelerating its nuclear and missile development. Some observers say Pyongyang may conduct its seventh nuclear test.

Last month, Kishida and Yoon met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

They agreed to cooperate on matters related to North Korea. They confirmed that they will resolve outstanding issues between the two nations, and improve bilateral ties, apparently with wartime labor issues in mind.