Japan's defense officials have announced that North Korea may have launched a ballistic missile.

They say it has already come down, but officials at the Japan Coast Guard are calling on ships to remain alert and stay abreast of updates.

South Korean officials say it flew in an easterly direction.

North Korea had tested a number of other weapons at the start of the year. They include what it claims are "hypersonic missiles," which are notoriously difficult to detect and intercept.

Pyongyang also boasted about the supposed accuracy of its new guided missiles. And on January 30th, the North launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile.

Meanwhile, the country appears to be blaming the United States for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The country's foreign ministry posted an opinion piece written by a researcher. It states the root cause of the crisis lies in Washington's "high-handedness and arbitrariness." It contends the US is disregarding Russia's legitimate demands for its security.