Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu has said that North Korea launched a ballistic missile eastward. This is the 7th launch Pyongyang has conducted so far this year.

Matsuno said "If the missile was on a normal ballistic trajectory, it is estimated to have flown about 800 kilometers, with a maximum altitude of about 2,000 kilometers, for about 30 minutes. It is also believed to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone off the Sea of Japan coast."

Matsuno also said that the Japanese government has set up an emergency task force to gather information.

He said at the moment no damage has been confirmed.

South Korea's military also announced that North Korea fired a projectile believed to be a ballistic missile.

It says the launch was from Jagang Province and toward the Sea of Japan. South Korea's military is conducting a detailed analysis with the US military.

North Korea has fired missiles multiple times just this month.

On Friday, Pyongyang said it had conducted test-launches of long-range cruise missiles on Tuesday and "tactical guided missiles" on Thursday.

The country also fired what are believed to have been hypersonic missiles on January 5 and 11.