North Korea conducts longest-range missile test yet over Japan. Nuclear-armed North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan for the first time in five years on Tuesday (Oct 4), prompting a warning for residents to take cover and a temporary suspension of train operations in northern Japan.
The Japanese government warned citizens to take cover as the missile appeared to have flown over and past its territory before falling into the Pacific Ocean.
The United States said it strongly condemned North Korea's "dangerous and reckless" decision to launch a long-range ballistic missile over Japan.
The initial flight details suggest the missile may have been the Hwasong-12 IRBM, which North Korea unveiled in 2017 as part of its threatened plan to strike US military bases in Guam, said Kim Dong-yup, a former South Korea Navy officer who now teaches at Kyungnam University.
"Politically, it's complicated: The missile largely flies outside of the atmosphere when it's over Japan, but it's obviously distressing to the Japanese public to receive warnings of a possible incoming North Korean missile."
North Korea's flurry of missile testing helps make more of its weapons operational, develop new capabilities and sends a message that development is s sovereign right, analysts said.
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