North Korea fires ballistic missiles, residents in Japan told to shelter

GBNEWS24DESK//

North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles on Thursday, including one that triggered an alert for residents in parts of central and northern Japan to seek shelter, the latest in a record year of missile testing by the nuclear-armed North.

Despite an initial government warning that a missile had overflown Japan, Tokyo later said that was incorrect.

The launches came a day after North Korea fired at least 23 missiles, the most in a single day, including one that landed off South Korea’s coast for the first time, reports Reuters.

Residents of Miyagi, Yamagata and Niigata prefectures in northern Japan were warned on Thursday to seek shelter indoors, according to the J-Alert Emergency Broadcasting System.

Japanese Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the government had lost track of the first missile over the Sea of Japan, prompting it to correct its earlier announcement that it had flown over Japan.