On Tuesday morning local time, North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile that seemed to be headed for Japan, according to local authorities.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea verified the launch. The projectile is "believed to have launched," according to a tweet from Japan's Prime Minister's office, over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, signaling a potential uptick in North Korean missile launches.
The message advised people to seek refuge underground or inside buildings.
The premier's office stated in another tweet that "the aforementioned missile is believed to have gone across the Pacific Ocean about 07:29 a.m. JST."
In the same statement, it was advised for citizens of Japan "not approach anything strange that is detected and to promptly inform the police or fire department."
The 23rd missile launch by North Korea this year, including both ballistic and cruise missiles, according to CNN's count, occurred on Tuesday.
The last time North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japanese territory was on September 15, 2017, when the missile passed over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. However, launches over Japan remain uncommon.
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