North Korea fired what appears to be two ballistic missiles on Saturday, the Japanese Coast Guard said, citing the Defense Ministry.
At least two projectiles were launched from North Korea, the coastguard said, while Japanese public broadcaster NHK said the objects appeared to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
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“What appears to be a ballistic missile was launched from North Korea,” the coast guard said in a statement released at 6:47 a.m. (2147 GMT).
In a second statement released about 15 minutes later, the Coast Guard said another apparent ballistic missile had been launched.
NHK said both projectiles appeared to have fallen outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zones, citing government sources.
Nuclear-armed North Korea has carried out a record campaign of weapons testing this year, including two ballistic missiles launched on Thursday, just hours after US Vice President Kamala Harris left South Korea.
South Korean and American officials have also been warning for months that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing to carry out another nuclear test.
North Korea, which faces multiple UN sanctions over its weapons programs, typically seeks to maximize the geopolitical impact of its tests with careful timing.
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