Japan’s defence ministry says North Korea launches a’suspected ballistic missile’

Japan’s defense ministry said on Monday that North Korea had launched a “suspected ballistic missile” in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“A suspected ballistic missile was launched from North Korea,” the tweet stated.

“North Korea has fired an unidentified missile into the East Sea,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.

Tokyo also verified the launch, stating in a post on X, the former Twitter platform, that “a suspected ballistic missile was launched from North Korea.”

Shortly after the initial notification, Japan’s coast guard reported that the missile looked to have already fallen, citing the defense ministry.

Citing anonymous government sources, Japanese media, including public broadcaster NHK, claimed that the suspected missile had fallen outside of Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone.