Jul 04 (NHK) - North Korea launched a ballistic missile that appears to have landed in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone in the Sea of Japan.
Japan's Defense Ministry says the missile was fired from North Korea's western coast around 9:39 AM Japan Time on Tuesday. The ministry says it flew for about 40 minutes before landing in the EEZ.
There has been no report of damage to aircraft or vessels.
It is the 5th time a North Korean missile has landed in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone, following a launch in May.
Another missile test-fired in May is estimated to have been in the sky for about 30 minutes, reaching an altitude of more than 2,000 kilometers. It is believed to have been fired on a "lofted" trajectory, which involves a greater-than-normal launch angle to send the missile higher.
The missile launched on Tuesday apparently flew 10 minutes longer than the last time.
It is possible that Pyongyang used a "lofted" trajectory again and that missile capability has been improved.
According to South Korea's military, the missile was launched from Banghyon in North Korea's northwestern province of North Pyongan. It is estimated to have flown approximately 930 kilometers at an altitude of over several hundred kilometers.
Source: ANNnewsCH
