North Korea launches at least ten missiles toward the Sea of Japan, where a U.S. military exercise is underway.

North Korea has launched what appears to be a group of ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan, according to initial reports. This was announced by the Japanese Ministry of Defense, indicating that the missile would have fallen into the sea outside the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and that no damage has been reported at this time. The alert was also issued by the Japanese Coast Guard around 1:30 PM local time (5:30 AM in Italy), urging vessels in the area to pay attention to updates on the situation.

According to South Korean military sources, Pyongyang launched at least a dozen unidentified missiles towards the Sea of Japan. In response to the test, the Tokyo government activated an emergency task force at the crisis management center, tasked with gathering information and verifying any potential damage.

This incident follows a previous launch by North Korea on January 27, when two ballistic missiles were fired towards the Sea of Japan, falling outside the Japanese EEZ. Last week, the United States and South Korea began one of their major annual joint military exercises, called Freedom Shield, at various military bases and operational areas on the Korean Peninsula, involving about 18,000 South Korean troops, along with U.S. contingents.

In recent days, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, described the exercises as a provocative act that risks further escalating tensions in an already unstable international context, warning that the maneuvers could lead to "terrible consequences".

The Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has instructed authorities to gather further information and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of navigation and air traffic.