North Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan, escalating tests of weapons

North Korea fired “at least one” ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday, 4 October, escalating weapons tests designed to strike key targets in regional US allies amid stalled nuclear diplomacy.

Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida's office said the missile was believed to have landed into the Pacific Ocean.

The office said that authorities have issued an alert to people living in north-eastern regions of Japan, informing them to evacuate nearby buildings in what is reportedly the first alert of its kind in five years.

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