N.Korea fires missile over Japan, some trains suspended (updated)

East Japan Railway

03/10/2022 23:45

(Adds NHK, TV Asahi reports, background in paragraphs 1, 4-5,
7-8)
       SEOUL/TOKYO, Oct 4 (Reuters) - North Korea fired a
ballistic missile over Japan on Tuesday, prompting a warning for
residents to take cover and a temporary suspension of train
operations in northern Japan. 
    South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Japanese coast
guard reported on the missile test, which was launched off North
Korea's east coast. 
    The Japanese government warned citizens to take cover as the
missile appeared to have flown over and past its territory
before falling into the Pacific ocean. But it said it did not
use any defence measures to destroy the missile. 
    TV Asahi, citing an unnamed government source, said North
Korea might have fired an intercontinental ballistic missile and
it fell into the sea some 3,000 km (1,860 miles) from Japan. 
    The latest launch was Pyongyang's fifth in 10 days, amid
military muscle-flexing by the United States and South Korea,
which conducted trilateral anti-submarine exercises last week
with Japanese naval forces. 
    South Korea staged its own show of advanced weaponry on
Saturday to mark its Armed Forces Day, including multiple rocket
launchers, ballistic missiles, main battle tanks, drones and
F-35 fighters. 
    The test prompted East Japan Railway Co  9020.T  to suspend
its train operations in the northern regions, Japanese
broadcaster NHK reported. 
        The North has completed preparations for a nuclear test,
which it might look to undertake sometime between China's
Communist Party Congress this month and U.S. mid-term elections
in November, South Korean lawmakers said last week.
 (Reporting by Hyonhee Shin and Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Leslie
Adler, Chris Reese and Lincoln Feast)
 ((hyonhee.shin@thomsonreuters.com;))