In a shocking turn of events, North Korea fired a missile over Japan for the first time in five years. Citizens were then warned to take cover, and train operations located in northern Japan were temporarily suspended.
A Missile was Spotted Launching from the East Coast of North Korea
According to the story by The Straits Times, the firing was described as a missile test reported by both South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Japanese coast guard. The ballistic missile reportedly came from the east coast of North Korea.
This sudden launch led to the J-Alert system being activated, which only happens occasionally. The alert system flashed on screens warning residents in Japan's north and north-east locations to look for shelter.
The Missile Ended Up in the Pacific Ocean
Hirokazu Matsuno, a top government spokesman, reported that the ballistic missile was launched eastward from North Korea at about 7:22 AM. The missile was able to fly over Japan and even past the country's territory.
Finally, the missile ended up falling into the Pacific Ocean, with Japan saying they did not resort to using defense measures to destroy the missile. The missile is reportedly the latest of its kind to fly over or past Japan stretching from North Korea since 2017, as detailed in an article by AP News.
Mr. Matsuno Described the Situation as a 'Threat to the Public'
As the broadcaster NHK reported, the test resulted in the suspension of East Japan Railway Co train operations in the northern regions. Mr. Matsuno described the situation as a threat to the "peace and security of Japan." In an article by CNN, he called it a "threat to the public."
Mr. Matsuno said that the series of actions directly threatened Japan and the international community. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also stated a statement regarding the actions of North Korea, describing them as "barbaric."
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff Traced the Missile Back to the Jagang Province
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea said that the missile seems to be what's known as an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). They traced the missile's launch location and found out that it hailed from the Jagang Province of North Korea.
The Jagang Province is well known as home to many different missile tests. This is where North Korea tested out other missiles previously claimed to be "hypersonic."
The Missile Landed 1.8K Miles from Japan
The recently fired missile was said to have landed about 1.8K miles from Japan, and in a statement from the country's coastguard, ships were warned to steer clear of any falling objects.
Mr. Matsuno assured the public that no reports of damages to ships or aircraft from the missile had been recorded.
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Written by Urian B.
