Updated

Senior officials from the United States, South Korea and Japan have agreed to maintain close communications on North Korea's development of missiles and nuclear weapons.

Representatives of the three countries met in Tokyo on Wednesday to discuss their concerns about North Korea. Officials said the working-level talks also offered Japan and South Korea a chance to mend their own bilateral relationship, which has soured in recent months over a territorial dispute.

North Korea created an international stir earlier this year when it attempted to launch a long-range rocket that it said carried a satellite but which could also be used test its missile technologies. The launch failed.