North Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan: alerts

North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Thursday that flew over Japanese territory, according to alerts in Japan, a day after nuclear-armed Pyongyang fired at least 23 missiles, including one that landed off South Korea's coast for the first time.

Residents in central Japan were warned to shelter indoors, according to the Japanese government's broadcast warning system.

South Korea's military also reported the missile launch, which was over North Korea's east coast.

The South Korean Yonhap news agency reported the missile went through stage separation, suggesting it may be a long-range weapon.

North Korea fired at least 23 missiles into the sea on Wednesday, including one that landed less than 40 miles (60 kilometres) off South Korea's coast, which Seoul's President Yoon Suk-yeol described as "territorial encroachment" and Washington denounced as "reckless".

That was the first time a ballistic missile had landed near the South's waters since the peninsula was divided in 1945, and the most missiles fired by the North in a single day.

South Korea issued rare air raid warnings and launched its own missiles in response.

(Reuters)