{"id":49796,"date":"2017-09-15T02:16:54","date_gmt":"2017-09-15T02:16:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/09\/15\/north-korea-fires-missile-over-japan-in-longest-ever-flight\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T08:23:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T08:23:02","slug":"north-korea-fires-missile-over-japan-in-longest-ever-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/09\/15\/north-korea-fires-missile-over-japan-in-longest-ever-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"North Korea fires missile over Japan in longest-ever flight"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SEOUL, South Korea \u2014 North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan into the northern Pacific Ocean on Friday, U.S. and South Korean militaries said, its longest-ever such flight and a clear message of defiance to its rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since President Donald Trump threatened the North with \u201cfire and fury\u201d in August, Pyongyang has conducted its most powerful nuclear test and launched two missiles of increasing range over U.S. ally Japan. It tested its first-ever intercontinental ballistic missiles in July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The growing frequency, power and confidence displayed by these tests seems to confirm what governments and outside experts have long feared: North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target both U.S. troops in Asia and the U.S. homeland. This, in turn, is meant to allow North Korea greater military freedom in the region by raising doubts in Seoul and Tokyo that Washington would risk the annihilation of a U.S. city to protect its Asian allies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Korea\u2019s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled about 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) and reached a maximum height of 770 kilometers (478 miles).<\/p>\n\n\n\t