Pyongyang May Have Fired IRBM In Further Escalation Of Tensions

North Korea appears to have fired one ballistic missile, which flew over Japan and landed outside of Japan's EEZ, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno said during a press briefing. Tokyo has lodged protest "of strongest wording" to North Korea through diplomatic channels.

• Asahi TV cited an unnamed Japanese gov't official, who says that the missile fell into the Pacific Ocean roughly 3,000km from Japan's coast. There are no reports of damage from the projectile.
• South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea appears to have fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) from Mupyong-ri, Jagang province. If confirmed, this could be interpreted as an escalation after a series of short-range missile drills last week.
• When North Korea last test-fired an IRBM in January, it was estimated that the missile could reach strategic U.S. military facilities on Guam. This was followed by several launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
• The latest IRBM test comes days after the U.S. and South Korea completed their naval war games involving an aircraft carrier and its strike group, while Japan joined them for a trilateral anti-submarine exercise.
• Note that the Centre for Strategic and International Studies released a report based on satellite imagery, flagging apparent works on expanding North Korea's nuclear testing capabilities in its Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Facility.
• Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno will speak again at 9:10am JST/1:10 BST. Defence Minister Hamada will hold a briefing around the same time.