Nuclear-armed North Korea launched an apparent ballistic missile for the second time this year, Japan's Defense Ministry said Tuesday, with Seoul calling the firing an improvement on what Pyongyang claimed was a test of a "hypersonic" weapon less than a week ago.
The missile was believed to have traveled about 700 kilometers and landed outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 nautical miles (370 km) from its coast into the Sea of Japan, the ministry said, adding that Japan was continuing to analyze the launch with the United States.
Speaking to reporters earlier the day, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the North's repeated missile tests in recent months "extremely regrettable," adding that Japan would "strengthen monitoring" of Pyongyang's military activities.