North Korea fired a medium-range ballistic missile on Tuesday morning that flew over Japan before falling into the sea, in an unprecedented event since 2017, and a clear escalation in the intensive military testing campaign that Pyongyang has been conducting since the beginning of the year.

This prompted the Japanese authorities to warn residents, and asked them to take cover, as train movements in the north of the country were temporarily suspended.

The last time a North Korean missile flew over Japan dates back to 2017, at the height of the "fire and fury" phase, during which North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump hurled heavy insults.

Officials in Tokyo and Seoul said the missile had traveled between 4,500 and 4,600 km and had a maximum altitude of 1,000 km.

Tokyo indicated that the missile's 4,600 km trajectory was probably the longest traveled in North Korea's tests, which are often at a great altitude to avoid overflying neighboring countries.

This is the fifth launch by Pyongyang in 10 days, amid the United States and South Korea flexing their military muscles.


17 times faster than sound

For its part, the South Korean military announced that it "detected a hypothetical medium-range ballistic missile, which was launched from the Mopyeong-ri area in (North) Jagang Province at about 07:23 (22:23 GMT Monday) and flew over Japan towards the east."

He added that the missile flew for a distance of 4,500 km at an altitude of 970 km at a speed of about Mach 17 (17 times faster than sound).

The South Korean military said in a statement that the military "remains in a state of full readiness and closely cooperates with the United States, while at the same time strengthening surveillance and vigilance."

South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol vowed a "firm response" to the ballistic missile launch.

The South Korean presidency said in a statement that the North Korean missile test is a new "provocation" that "clearly violates international principles and United Nations standards, and he (Yon) ordered a firm response and (take) appropriate measures in cooperation with the United States and the international community."

Unprecedented experiences

This year, Pyongyang, which possesses nuclear weapons, conducted a series of tests unprecedented in terms of pace.

These tests reached their climax last week, when the North Korean military launched four short-range ballistic missiles.

On the other hand, Seoul, Tokyo and Washington held on September 30 last three exercises against submarines, in a first of its kind in 5 years.

The exercises came days after large-scale exercises conducted by the US and South Korean navies off the peninsula.

On September 29, US Vice President Kamala Harris visited Seoul, during which she inspected the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas, in a trip aimed at emphasizing the United States' "unwavering" commitment to defending South Korea against its North neighbor.

Pyongyang has intensified its banned weapons programs amid stalled negotiations with the United States, conducting a record number of military tests this year, and passed a new law allowing it to carry out pre-emptive nuclear strikes, including in response to attacks with conventional weapons, in a move that made its nuclear force "no". reversing it.”

North Korea, which is subject to UN sanctions because of its banned weapons programs, usually tries to conduct its military tests at a time that increases its geopolitical impact.


Activate the early warning system

In Japan, where the ballistic missile flew over its northern and northeastern lands, the authorities called on the residents of these two regions to take shelter, before confirming that the missile landed in the Pacific Ocean without causing human casualties or material damage.

In a rare event, this North Korean missile test triggered the J-Alert early warning system in Japan, as a warning appeared on national television, "NHK", calling on residents of the northern and northeastern regions to take shelter in buildings or underground. .

"North Korea appears to have fired a missile. Please take cover inside buildings or underground," the alert read.

"North Korea launched a ballistic missile this morning towards the east," government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.

"We are analyzing the details, but the missile flew over Japan's (northeast) Tohoku region and then landed in the Pacific Ocean outside Japan's exclusive economic zone," he added.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was quick to condemn the missile's flight over his country's territory.

"A ballistic missile most likely crossed over our country before falling into the Pacific Ocean," Kishida told reporters. "It is an act of violence that comes after recent and repeated launches of ballistic missiles. We strongly condemn this."

In turn, the Japanese Coast Guard said in a statement that the North Korean missile appeared to have fallen in the Pacific Ocean, and called on ships not to approach the objects falling from the air.

Washington's position

In Washington, the White House announced that the United States was consulting with Japan and South Korea to respond "forcefully" to North Korea's launch on Tuesday morning of a ballistic missile that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, a spokeswoman for U.S. National Security Adviser Adrienne Watson, said in a statement that Sullivan held separate talks with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts to develop an "appropriate and robust international response" and reaffirmed the United States' "firm commitment" to the defense of Japan and South Korea.

Recently, US and South Korean officials warned that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing to conduct a new nuclear test.

South Korean intelligence reported that this nuclear test may take place during the period between the Chinese Communist Party Congress on October 16, and the midterm elections in the United States on November 9.