The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile early on Tuesday and the missile fell into the Pacific Ocean off Hokkaido after passing over the Japanese archipelago, said the Japanese government.
The missile was fired around 5:58 a.m. (local time) (2058 GMT) from the western coast of the DPRK toward a northeastern direction, and passed over Cape Erimo in Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido around 6:06 a.m. (2106 GMT), said Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.
The missile flew over 2,700 km with the highest altitude at some 550 km, and fell into the Pacific Ocean some 1,180 km east of Cape Erimo around 6:12 a.m. (2112 GMT), said Suga.
He said that it was possible that the missile separated into three parts over the Sea of Japan, and the Japanese government is analyzing the situation.
He also said that the missile firing posed "an unprecedentedly serious and grave security threat" to Japan and Japan will work closely with the United States and South Korea to address the issue.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the missile "significantly undermines" regional peace and security and Japan has lodged a firm protest against the DPRK.
He added that Japan is to call for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council and to call on the international society to cooperate and impose more pressure on the DPRK.
Japan's Defense Minster Itsunori Onodera told reporters that the missile was possibly the same type as intermediate-range missile Hwasong-12, which had been fired by the DPRK before.
He said that the government did not give an order to intercept the missile since it judged there was no possibility that it would land in Japan.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono reportedly said that the DPRK "appeared to have held back" from firing a missile toward Guam amid U.S. pressure, and instead sent it over Hokkaido.
Following the missile launch, the Japanese government held a National Security Council meeting involving relevant ministers.
Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke over the phone after the missile launch.
