The Japanese defense ministry said on Monday that North Korea has fired what appears to be a ballistic missile in the morning.

According to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, the ministry said that the presumed missile seemed to still be in flight as of 8:40 a.m., quoting a senior ministry official as saying that the projectile could be an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The Japanese government convened an emergency meeting of officials from related ministries at the Prime Minister's Office to collect information on the launch and check for any damage. 

Japan's NHK and Kyodo News reported that the defense ministry is also collecting information on possible impact of the launch.

Citing the defense ministry, the Japan Coast Guard also said at around 8:28 a.m. that North Korea may have launched a ballistic missile and urged vessels to exercise caution.

The launch comes after North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile from an area near Pyongyang the previous night that fell outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.

[Photo : YONHAP News]