North Korea fires ballistic missile, South Korea says

(CNN) — South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired one mid-range or longer ballistic missile from near Pyongyang into the waters off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula at around 7:23 a.m. local time Thursday.

Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the missile may have been a type of intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the longest range of North Korea’s ballistic missiles, but that Japanese authorities were continuing to analyze details.

Hamada added that the missile has landed outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Japan’s government initially urged residents in the country’s northern prefecture of Hokkaido to take shelter after the North Korean launch.

The Japanese Coast Guard later said it believed there was no longer a possibility of the missile falling on Hokkaido or its surroundings.

“The ballistic missile is believed to have already fallen,” said the Coast Guard, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK, citing information from the Ministry of Defense.

Japan has previously warned civilians to shelter in place during similar test launches.