North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Wednesday, and it has already fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, the Japanese government said, as Pyongyang continues with a flurry of weapons tests that have raised regional tensions.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile from around South Pyongan Province around 3:31 p.m. off the east coast. Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the missile flew about 250 kilometers at a maximum altitude of around 50 km, and no damage to aircraft or ships has been reported.
The test-firing comes as South Korea carries out computer-simulated war games from Monday through Thursday.
Japan lodged a protest with Pyongyang via the Japanese Embassy in Beijing over the latest ballistic missile launch, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a press conference.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed officials to do their utmost to swiftly provide necessary information to the public, ensure the safety of aircraft and ships and prepare for contingencies, according to his office.
Since the start of this year, Pyongyang has repeatedly test-fired ballistic missiles, including what is believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier this month, apparently a Hwasong-17, which the South's military presumes failed.
Fears are also growing that the North may conduct its seventh nuclear test, the first since September 2017.
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