Japan protests N. Korea's latest missile launches
STORY: Ino said the two ballistic missiles were launched eastwards from near the western coast of North Korea within the same hour starting 11:00a.m. (0200GMT), both flying around 500 kilometers (310 miles) at a maximum altitude of about 550 kilometers (342 miles). The missiles flew on a parabolic trajectory, and no damages have been reported.
“North Korea's series of rapidly escalating provocations threatens the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community, and must not be tolerated… Japan has lodged a strong protest with North Korea through our embassy in Beijing and strongly condemned their actions,” Ino said.
North Korea has conducted an unprecedented number of missile tests this year, including an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, despite international bans and sanctions. In November, North Korea test-fired an ICMB that Japanese officials said had sufficient range to reach the mainland of the United States and that landed just 130 miles off Japan.
