North Korea launched at least two ballistic missiles on Sunday, Japan’s Defense Ministry said, as the nuclear-armed country looks to remain in the spotlight with its first launches of the year.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said both missiles had landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from its coast, in the Sea of Japan.
“North Korea’s series of actions, including repeated ballistic missile launches, threaten the peace and security of our region and the international community,” Koizumi said, adding that Japan was coordinating closely with the United States and South Korea.