Pentagon Detects Missile Launch From North Korea

TOKYO (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Japan's prime minister says North Korea has fired what appears to be a missile.

It may have landed in the sea off Japan.

Pentagon spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said the U.S. believes it was an intercontinental ballistic missile, meaning that in theory it had enough range to reach portions of U.S. territory.

Davis said Friday the missile did not pose a threat to North America but traveled about 620 miles before splashing down in the Sea of Japan.

The missile was launched on a lofted, or heightened, trajectory, limiting the lateral distance it traveled.

Davis did not elaborate on US calculations, but the theoretical range of a ballistic missile can be estimated from the altitude it achieved and the lateral distance it traveled. To be of ICBM range, the missile would have to be capable of traveling at least 5,500 kilometers.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called a meeting with the National Security Council.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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• North Korea