Tokyo, Sept. 20 -- North Korea is suspected of having launched a ballistic missile, Japan's Prime Minister's Office said on Sunday, issuing an emergency alert and directing authorities to gather information, monitor developments and take precautionary measures.

The Japanese Prime Minister's Office said in a post on X, "[Emergency alert] North Korea has launched a suspected ballistic missile. More updates to follow."

Following the alert, the Prime Minister's Office issued instructions to relevant authorities, calling for heightened vigilance and immediate measures to assess the situation.

In a separate post, the office said, "Instruction by the Prime Minister in Response to the Suspected Ballistic Missile Launch by North Korea", with th...