North Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan, residents warned to take cover
North Korea fired a ballistic missile over the neighboring country of Japan for the first time in five years early Tuesday — causing residents to take shelter before the projectile landed in the Pacific Ocean.
Both South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Japanese coast guard reported on the missile test carried out by the hermit kingdom led by madman Kim Jong-un and fired off North Korea’s east coast.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense said the missile flew over Japan at about 7:22 a.m. local time and landed in the Pacific Ocean 17 minutes later, the New York Times reported.
Japanese citizens in the prefectures of Aomori and Hokkaido, as well as multiple islands near Tokyo were told by officials to take cover as the government followed the missile’s path, the Times reported.
Those residents were alerted to flee buildings they were in.
“North Korea’s series of actions, including its repeated ballistic missile launches, threatens the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community, and poses a serious challenge to the entire international community, including Japan,” Japan’s top government spokesperson Hirokazu Matsuno, said during a press conference.
After the news briefing, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called North Korea’s actions “barbaric” when talking to reporters. The East Japan Railway Co also stopped all train service in the northern regions, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.
The launch was Pyongyang’s fifth test in 10 days amid the United States and South Korea conducting its own military exercises, including an anti-submarine one last week with Japan.
South Korea flexed its own military muscle when it staged a show of advanced weaponry Saturday as part of its Armed Forces Day.
The North Korea missile was the first to fly over or past Japan since 2017.
