TOKYO, October 3. /TASS/. Japan believes that Pyongyang’s new ballistic missile test-launched from a submarine on October 2 is capable of covering a distance of about 2,500 kilometers, Japan’s Defense Minister Taro Kono told reporters on Thursday.
"The missile was fired on a lofted trajectory. In the event of its launch on a standard trajectory, it could have flown about 2,500 km. We believe this was a recently-developed submarine-launched intermediate-range missile," the Japanese defense chief said.
The missile was launched from the sea, the defense chief stated, adding, however, that an additional analysis would be required to determine how exactly the launch had been carried out.
"This poses a threat to Japan and the international community," Kono stressed.
North Korea test-fired its Pukguksong-3 (Pole Star-3) submarine-launched ballistic missile on October 2. However, there are no exact data yet on where it was launched from — a submarine or a submerged platform.
Pyongyang’s state news agency KCNA reported the following day that the missile had been launched on a lofted trajectory and posed no threat to the security of neighboring countries. According to Japan’s Defense Ministry, the missile climbed to an altitude of 900 km and split into two parts during its flight, one of which fell in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, after flying about 450 km.
Pyongyang test-fired its new missile several days ahead of working-level consultations between North Korean and US representatives scheduled for October 5. The international community has condemned Pyongyang’s launch, calling it a violation of UN Security Council resolutions. US President Donald Trump has not yet responded in any way to Pyongyang’s missile launch.