North Korea launched a ballistic missile that flew over Japan in the early hours of Tuesday morning, the Pentagon confirmed, adding that it is still assessing the launch.Though Japan didn't attempt to shoot down Kim Jong Un's latest provocation, the missile's trajectory still spooked its government: It sent an alert early Tuesday morning urging citizens in the country's north to head to a sturdy building or underground area to prepare for a possible missile strike from Pyongyang.Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga called the missile a "a grave threat," and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed to "firmly protect the lives of the people," Reuters reported.
The missile, which was launched nearby Pyongyang's international airport, broke into three pieces before crashing into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan, South Korean and Japanese media reported. The North American Aerospace Defense Command determined that the missile was not a threat to North America.Read more on VICE News.