North Korea on Tuesday fired its nuclear-capable ballistic missile over Japan, traveling 4,500-4,600 kilometers (2,800-2,860 miles) before falling into the Pacific Ocean. The Japanese government immediately issued evacuation alerts in its northeastern regions, and trains were halted in the Hokkaido and Aomori regions. Later Tuesday, the South Korean and U.S. militaries launched fighter jets in response to North Korea’s provocation. The United States strongly criticized North Korea’s “dangerous and reckless decision” to fire what it described as a “long-range ballistic missile” over Japan.
