Why did North Korea fire a missile over Japan?

It was a new dawn, a new day, and a new North Korean missile test. The land of the morning calm – as South Korea is affectionately-nicknamed – awoke to the launch of the fifth North Korean ballistic missile in ten days.

Over the past ten months, the international community has become accustomed to a growing number of North Korean missile launches, of an increasingly diverse range of missiles. Kim Jong-un’s determination for North Korea to become a nuclear state, and be recognised as such is only heightening.

Russia and China are now more reticent than ever to side with the West and support sanctions on North Korea

Last night’s launch was of a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile. The world had become familiar with North Korea’s missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles falling into the disputed waters of the East Sea (known by Japan as the Sea of Japan). This time, however, the missile flew over Japan into the Pacific Ocean, activating Japan’s alert system telling residents to take shelter: a feat last achieved five years ago.