North Korea has launched a ballistic missile that has flown over northern Japan and has reached the greatest distance traveled to date in one of these weapons tests. According to Tokyo, the projectile has reached a maximum altitude of close to 1,000 kilometers and a distance of 4,500-4,600 kilometers.

The Japanese authorities have activated a civil alert in the northernmost prefectures of Hokkaido and Aomori. Rail traffic has been suspended and some citizens have taken shelter in buildings or underground. This is the first time since 2017 that a North Korean missile has followed this trajectory, forcing Japan to raise the alarm.

Instructions by the Prime Minister in Response to the Missile Launch by North Korea (07:27)

1. Dedicate maximum effort to gather and analyze information, and provide the public speedy and adequate information.

2. Ensure the safety of aircraft, vessels, and other assets.

— PM's Office of Japan (@JPN_PMO) October 3, 2022

The missile has ended up falling in the Pacific, some 3,200 kilometers east of the Japanese archipelago, without causing damage.

Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, condemned the incident and described it as a “barbaric act”.

-Thailand News (TN)