Japan has called for a UN Security Council resolution that would impose sanctions on North Korea for its missile launches.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice discussed the resolution and agreed to urge other countries to send a unified message to North Korea, Japan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Kyodo news agency reported that Tokyo intended to call for a Security Council vote later today.
The US administration had already said yesterday that it had the votes needed to impose sanctions on North Korea.
The resolution, however, is opposed by both China - Pyongyang's biggest backer - and Moscow, which have veto power.
"It is important to show the will of international society and to do that a UN Security Council resolution is effective," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Shinzo Abe, said.
Mr Abe said China had a big role to play as host of stalled six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear arms programme.