Japan’s Defense Ministry said North Korea had launched a suspected ballistic missile

Tokyo, Japan (CNN) Japan’s Defense Ministry said that North Korea launched a “suspected ballistic missile” on Sunday.

News follows a A series of missile tests by North Korea, including the launch of a long-range ballistic missile at Thursday The leaders of South Korea and Japan also met in Tokyo, two submarine cruise missiles and two short-range ballistic missiles a few days earlier.

The Japanese Coast Guard said in a statement released at 11:20 a.m. local time that the missile launched on Sunday appeared to have gone down.

All ships were cautioned to await further information; not to approach fallen objects; And report anything suspicious.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) also said it detected a short-range ballistic missile launched from Dongchang-ri in North Pyongan Province in North Korea at around 11:05 a.m. local time.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the Army has enhanced surveillance and vigilance in preparation for additional launches “while maintaining a full readiness posture through close cooperation with the United States.”

Pyongyang’s latest tests coincide with joint military exercises in the spring between the United States and South Korea The biggest war games Allies began in five years.

Prior to the 11-day Freedom Shield exercise, North Korea threatened to take “the strongest counter-response against the most vicious plots of the United States and its minions”.

With previous reporting from CNN’s Gawon Bae