North Korea 'fires' missile over Japan, Trump, Abe react

The missile fell into waters 1,180 km east of the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, says NHK [File: Reuters]

Japan says the ballistic missile, which fell into the waters off the Hokkaido island, is an "unprecedented threat".

North Korea fired a ballistic missile that flew over Japan before plunging into the northern Pacific Ocean, officials said on Tuesday, a step the Japanese prime minister termed a "grave threat".

The launch appears to be the first to cross over Japan since 2009, and comes amid ongoing annual military drill being carried out between the US and its close ally in the region, South Korea.

Their outrageous act of firing a missile over our country is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat... Says Shinzo Abe, Japanese prime minister

The South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile travelled around 2,700km and reached a maximum height of 550km as it flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido and landed in the sea.

The projectile was launched from the Sunan region near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, just before 6am on Tuesday (21:00 GMT on Monday), the South Korean military said.

Early Tuesday morning, North Korea provocatively flew a missile over Japan’s Hokkaido. Launched from a location near the capital of Pyongyang, the missile splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, east of the northern Japanese island. Upon launch, Japan’s authorities advised residents to reach shelter.

The missile’s main target, however, appeared to be far away on the other side of the Pacific. That target would be the credibility of President Donald Trump and that of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Tuesday’s launch is considered belligerent because of the overflight of Japan. The North has in the past launched rockets over the island nation, in 2009, 2012, and 2016, but the last time a North Korean missile flew over Japan was in 1998.

The launch of what appeared to be an intermediate-range missile capped off an extraordinary in-your-face media blast from Pyongyang. 

ABE REACTS

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday he would do all in his power to protect the Japanese public after the missile test.

As he entered his office for an emergency meeting, Mr Abe told reporters: "We will make utmost efforts to firmly protect the lives of the people."

And Japan's chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga described the test as an "unprecedented, grave threat".

Kim has sparked fury throughout the world this year by ramping up his missile programme and continuing to threaten the United States.

The latest threat against Japan is likely to anger Donald Trump:

Donald Trump brought tensions with the North Korea to a new height as he outright threatened "fire and fury" against Pyongyang.

The US President also grew frustrated with China, Kim's closest ally, for its failure to rein in the despot's missile tests.

And the latest threat against Japan is likely to anger Mr Trump even further.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson yesterday insisted Washington will continue to seek a peaceful resolution to the North Korea crisis.

He told Fox News: "We do view [the missile tests] as a provocative act against the United States and our allies.

"We're going to continue our peaceful pressure campaign, working with allies, working with China as well to see if we can bring the regime in Pyongyang to the negotiating table."

The missile was launched at 5:28 am local time time from Sunan near Pyongyang’s international airport, according to South Korean officials, suggesting this may have been a road-mobile launch, undermining the effectiveness of preemptive U.S. missile strikes.

UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO MEET

The United Nations Security Council would meet later on Tuesday to discuss the test, diplomats said.

Earlier this month, the 15-member Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea in response to two long-range missile launches in July.

South Korea's military said the missile was launched from near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, just before 6 a.m. (2100 GMT Monday) and flew 2,700 km (1,680 miles), reaching an altitude of about 550 km (340 miles).

"We will respond strongly based on our steadfast alliance with the United States if North Korea continues nuclear and missile provocations," the South's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Four South Korean fighter jets bombed a military firing range on Tuesday after President Moon Jae-in asked the military to demonstrate capabilities to counter North Korea.

South Korea and the United States had discussed deploying additional "strategic assets" on the Korean peninsula, the presidential Blue House said in a statement, without giving any more details.