North Korea Fires 10 Ballistic Missiles Toward Sea; Emergency Alert In Japan Amid US-Iran War In West Asia

South Korea and Japan on Saturday said North Korea had fired at least 10 ballistic missiles towards the East Sea, triggering tension in East Asia. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the defence system detected North Korea firing at least one projectile toward the East Sea. The development comes amid intense war between the US and Iran in the Middle East. The launch came as the United States and South Korea conducted their annual springtime joint military exercises.

The North has long described the allies' drills as invasion rehearsals and often uses them as a pretext to dial up its own military demonstrations or weapons testing.

South Korea's Reaction

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired from an area near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, but didn't immediately say how far they flew. 

Japan's Defense Ministry said the weapons landed in waters outside the country's exclusive economic zone.The South's Joint Chiefs said the military has stepped up surveillance and is maintaining readiness against possible additional launches while closely sharing information with the US and Japan.

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'Emergency Alert': Japan Activates Crisis Team

The Japanese government issued an urgent warning following missile activity from Pyongyang. The Prime Minister's Office of Japan, in a post on X, said, "[Emergency alert] North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile. More updates to follow."

Following this alert, the administration of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the nation's first female premier who recently secured a historic landslide victory in the February 2026 general elections, immediately activated emergency protocols to monitor the projectile's trajectory. Takaichi has maintained a robust stance on regional security and the protection of Japanese territory throughout her tenure.

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The weapons test by North Korea has further heightened security anxieties in the region, said Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported. The Japan Coast Guard announced at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday that what appears to be a ballistic missile was launched from North Korea, citing defence ministry information.

In response to the launch, the coast guard issued an urgent advisory calling on ships at sea to pay attention to future updates on the situation. According to NHK, the projectile's flight path suggests that the immediate danger to Japanese territory has subsided, as defence ministry officials believe it fell in waters outside Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

(With Agencies Inputs)