South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the missile launched from North Korea's eastern coastal Wonsan area at around 5 p.m. local time, traveling toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. Japan's Defense Ministry said it had likely been a ballistic missile but confirmed no impact in or around Japanese territory, with Japan's Coast Guard urging vessels near the coast to exercise caution and report any fallen debris. South Korea said its military had bolstered its surveillance posture and was closely coordinating information with the United States and Japan. The launch marked North Korea's first missile test since late June, when it tested a tactical ballistic missile carrying what it described as a "special mission" warhead alongside other weapons. Koizumi had separately said earlier in the week that Japan's military needs to be strengthened with a "sense of urgency and crisis," citing a new government threat assessment naming North Korea alongside China and Russia as growing regional concerns.