North Korea missile test
© FILE PHOTO KCNA / Reuters
North Korea is believed to have conducted a new missile launch, officials from three countries - Japan, South Korea and the US - confirmed on Friday.

A "flying body considered to be a missile" has been launched, Japanese officials said, adding that they are currently collecting information for further analysis.

There is a possibility the missile could have landed in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Japan, in the Sea of Japan, NHK reported citing the country's Defense Ministry.

The possible launch is believed to have been conducted "before midnight" on July 28 local time, the Japanese authorities told NHK, adding that a warning to ships and other vessels in the area has been issued

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is convening an emergency meeting.

South Korea confirmed that an "unidentified missile" had been fired from the North, the Yonhap news agency reported.

According to the South Korean data, what appears to be a ballistic missile was launched late on Friday from the northern Jangang province.

It flew for about 45 minutes, Japanese officials say, with their South Korean counterparts adding that the reported weapon landed in the sea off North Korea's east coast.

The US also confirmed what it "assesses" to be "a ballistic missile launch" from North Korea, the Pentagon said. Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said the launch occurred at about 10:45am (local time).

North Korea missile launch was ICBM - Pentagon, S. Korea military

North Korea is believed to have launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Friday, according to the Pentagon and South Korean military, as quoted by local media.

The Pentagon assesses that the latest launch by Pyongyang was conducted from an area in Mupyong-ni, with what is believed to be an ICBM traveling about 1,000km (621 miles).

It landed in the waters of the Sea of Japan, the US military said on Friday.

The same alleged flight distance is quoted by South Korea's military, Yonhap news agency reported, also saying that the weapon is believed to be ICBM-class. Officials claimed it reached an altitude of about 3,700km (2,300 miles).

Russian military says North Korean missile launch was IRBM, flew 732 km

A missile launched by North Korea on Friday was an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM), Russia's Defense Ministry said, citing data from its missile warning system. This counters claims made by the Pentagon and South Korean military, who said the launch was an ICBM.

The weapon was fired at around 5:40pm Moscow time on July 28 from a firing range in Tongchang-dong, North Korea, the Russian military said, adding that the flight was detected by Russia's missile defense alarm system.