Outcry as North Korea test fires missile towards Japan

NORTH Korea last night fired what was believed to be a ballistic missile towards Japan in its latest test launch.

Yoshihide Suga, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, said the missile posed a risk to Japan but there had been no reports of damage. It appeared to have landed in Japanese waters and was a violation of UN resolutions, he said.

Mr Suga added: “Japan absolutely cannot tolerate North Korea’s repeated provocative actions. We have strongly protested to North Korea and condemn its actions in the strongest terms.”

It was the latest in a series of tests by Pyongyang as it seeks to build nucleartipped missiles that can reach the US.

The US National Security Council said President Donald Trump had been briefed about the incident.

South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff reported the launch but did not say what type of projectile was fired or if it was successful. Yonhap news agency in South Korea said it was believed to be a ballistic missile. North Korea last testfired a ballistic missile on May 21.

North Korea is still thought to be several years away from its goal of being able to target US mainland cities but each new test puts it closer.

Its nuclear and missile programmes are one of the biggest foreign policy challenges facing Mr Trump.

The latest test came a day after North Korean state media showed the nation’s leader, Kim Jong-un, overseeing a test an anti-aircraft weapon system.