Japan's Defense Ministry: N.korea Launched Suspected Slbm
Officials from Japan's Defense Ministry say North Korea launched what is presumed to have been a submarine-launched ballistic missile on Saturday.
The projectile is thought to have fallen outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan.
The officials say the missile was launched from a location near North Korea's east coast at around 2:06 p.m. Japan time and travelled in an eastward direction.
The projectile is believed to have reached a maximum altitude of around 50 kilometers and flew around 600 kilometers. No damage to aircraft or ships has been reported.
Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo told reporters that it was the 14th North Korean missile launch this year.
He said Japan has lodged a protest with North Korea, stating that the launch was in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Kishi also said his ministry's analysis shows that North Korea could complete preparations as early as this month to carry out a nuclear test, a view that is shared by the United States.