North Korea Launches Two Ballistic Missiles Towards Sea of Japan: First Launches of 2026

North Korea launched two ballistic missiles towards Japan on the morning of January 4, 2026, marking the first missile launches of the year.

Japan’s Ministry of Defense reported the launch.

The missiles were fired between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m. Japan’s Self-Defense Forces detected the launch of the first missile from the western coast of North Korea at 07:54 a.m.

The Ministry of Defense emphasized that both ballistic missiles flew on an unusual trajectory.

The missile was tracked from the moment of launch until it fell into the Sea of Japan. According to information from representatives of Japan’s Ministry of Defense, the missile’s flight distance was 900 km, and its maximum altitude was 50 km.

Later, around 08:05 am, radar stations detected the launch of a second ballistic missile. It was launched from the same location as the first one, but despite this, the missile’s flight distance was 950 km, while its maximum altitude remained at 50 km.

As noted by the Ministry of Defense, preliminary assessments suggest that both missiles fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan. Currently, all details of the launch are being analyzed by experts from Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

Militarnyi previously reported that in October 2025, North Korea conducted another ballistic missile launch towards the Sea of Japan.