"
North Korea appears to have launched a missile. Please evacuate into buildings or underground
," the Japanese government said in a
missile
alert
issued at 7:29 am local time (12:29 am in Italy).
National broadcaster NHK said the alarm was in effect for two northern regions of the country.
The sirens sounded to invite people to run to the shelters.
"
North Korea has launched an unidentified ballistic missile eastward ,"
South Korea's Joint Chief of Staff
said in a statement
, without providing further details.
The
Japanese coast guard
also confirmed the launch of a suspected North Korean ballistic missile, warning ships to be vigilant.
This year, nuclear
-armed North Korea
carried out a record number of weapons tests, most recently launching short-range ballistic missiles four times last week before today.
Pyongyang
's intense weapons testing period
comes as
Seoul
,
Tokyo
and
Washington intensifies joint military exercises
to counter growing threats from the North.
South Korea, Japan and the United States held
anti-submarine drills
on Friday - the first in five years - just days after the Washington and Seoul navies conducted
large-scale drills
in the waters off the Korean peninsula.
Such exercises
infuriate
North Korea, which sees them as evidence for an invasion.
US Vice President
Kamala Harris
was in Seoul last week and visited the heavily fortified demilitarized zone that divides the peninsula, on a trip that aimed to underline
commitment
. "
his country's
armor
"in South Korea's
defense against the North. South Korean and US officials have also been warning for months that North Korean leader
Kim Jong-un
is preparing to conduct
another nuclear test
. US and South Korean officials have said they believe that this could happen soon after the upcoming
Chinese party congress
on October 16. North Korea, which is subject to multiple
UN sanctions
for its weapons programs, typically seeks to maximize the
geopolitical impact
of its tests with careful timing.