Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has condemned the launch, calling it an outrageous act. South Korea's military is currently assessing the launch and has yet to confirm the type of missile fired, but it is believed to have flown eastward for about 500 kilometers before landing in the sea. North Korea has conducted a series of missile tests in recent months, likely as a show of force in response to South Korea's planned military exercises with the United States.