North Korea has launched a missile that flew over Japan, escalating already heightened tensions with the United States and its allies over its nuclear and missile weapons development, the Pentagon confirmed this afternoon.
“The missile launched by North Korea flew over Japan,” Pentagon spokesman US Army Col. Rob Manning said. “We are still in the process of assessing this launch.”
The Japanese government issued an immediate rebuke. At one point, residents in several prefectures in northern regions of Japan were told to take cover, according to the Washington Post.
“We assess North Korea conducted a missile launch within the last 90 minutes,” the Pentagon said. “We can confirm that the missile launched by North Korea flew over Japan. We are still in the process of assessing this launch. North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America.”
