North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan for the first time since 2017 on Tuesday, the government said, a dramatic escalation that prompted Tokyo to issue a rare alert for residents to take cover.
Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the weapon, believed to be a Hwasong-12 IRBM, flew 4,600 kilometers ¡ª the longest distance ever traveled by a North Korean missile ¡ª flying for about one minute over Aomori Prefecture before eventually landing in the Pacific Ocean some 3,200 km from Japan.
¡°North Korea¡¯s recent series of actions, including its persistent and escalating launches, threaten the peace and security of the region and the globe, and are a serious challenge to the entire international community, including our own country,¡± Hamada told reporters.
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